


We Could Travel the Stars

by wandering_revolve



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe, Eventual Romance, Eventual Sex, M/M, Original Character(s), Slow Build, You are not alone
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-12
Updated: 2020-01-31
Packaged: 2021-02-27 03:26:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 43,952
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22220266
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wandering_revolve/pseuds/wandering_revolve
Summary: "You’re a genius. You’re stone cold brilliant, you are. I swear, you really are. But you could be so much more. You could be beautiful. With a mind like that, we could travel the stars. It would be my honor. ‘Cause you don’t need to own the universe. Just see it. To have the privilege of seeing the whole of time and space. That’s ownership enough."The Doctor had no idea he would be practicing what he had preached.
Relationships: Tenth Doctor/The Master (Simm)
Comments: 45
Kudos: 123





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Let me just say that I am stoked to finally be posting this story. I mean, I started this thing clear back in 2013 when I was absolutely obsessed with this pairing. It was in desperate need of a cleanup, so I've taken it upon myself to give it the love it deserves.
> 
> This story takes place in my alternate version of what totally could've happened after the "End of Time" episode...which is that the 10th Doctor didn't regenerate and Martha and Jack were still hanging around. :D Also, this story gets pretty heavy with the Doctor Who-type action stuff, just so y'all are aware.
> 
> Edited on 9/4/20

“Well, did you have a nice time or what?”

Martha grins up at the lanky Time Lord walking beside her. Although the Doctor was hesitant about the idea, she and Jack had insisted they take a spontaneous holiday. They believed the world-weary Time Lord deserved a break from the constant demands of the galaxy. And what better place to go than the Bahamas? The group had spent all day exploring the little tourist shops and getting their feet wet at the beach. 

“Yeah, c’mon, you know you had fun,” Jack pipes up while casually sipping a tropical drink. A pair of tourist-tacky sunglasses were perched on his nose. 

The Doctor does admit he had fun teasing Jack about them, despite the time traveller trying to defend their so-called “stylish quality.”

“Yeah, yeah, it was all right,” the Doctor responds with a small shrug. “No harm putting the universe on hold for one day, right?”

“Course not, Doc,” Jack says. “It was nice to see you loosen up for once.”

“Oi, I know how to loosen up!”

Martha gives the Doctor a look. “You do?” She laughs and exchanges glances with Jack. “No, really, it’s all serious business with you. Don’t you just want to have fun sometimes?”

“Yeah, you need more fun adventures. I know I have a blast each time I go into battle. Keeps things interesting.” Jack grins in spite of himself.

The Doctor shoots him a look when they reach the beloved blue box. “Murder isn’t exactly on my list of fun things to do.” He pulls out the TARDIS key and lets everyone inside.

Martha plops down on the seat in the console room. “Where are we off to next?” 

Ready to get back to “serious business,” the Doctor tosses his straw hat and lei off to the side and sets his hands on the controls.

“That is a good question, Martha Jones. Very good question!” He thinks for a moment before twisting this and pulling that. Within seconds, the TARDIS launches back into space. 

Jack joins the Doctor at the controls. “Well? Where we goin’?”

“It’s a surprise.”

“Surprise?” Martha repeats.

The Doctor smirks. “Surprises are fun.”

Oh, they see what he did there. Before either companion can reply, the TARDIS starts shaking.

“We must be picking up some turbulence.”

Jack quirks a brow. “Turbulence? Where the hell is that coming from?”

“I don’t know,” the Doctor slides on his glasses and adjusts a few controls, “the planet I wanted has mild atmospheric pressure, so the turbulence shouldn’t be this strong.” 

“What does that mean?” Martha asks. 

“It could only mean one thing: We’re off course.” The Doctor works furiously at the controls. “We’re heading right towards it. I can’t get her to pull back.”

“You’re saying some gravitational pull is doing this?” Jack asks skeptically.

“Well, it’s possible…unless something is leading us out here.”

“Like what?” Martha asks, concern etched across her face.

The Doctor gets the feeling something is very off but shakes his head. “I don’t know.”

“Let’s hope we aren’t getting tossed into a cooking pot of hungry Dephronians.” Jack shudders. “That wasn’t too fun.”

Martha glances at him. “How’d you manage that?”

“Looong story, sweetheart.”

Seconds later, the TARDIS lands on the soil of this strange planet. For safety reasons, the Doctor steps out first. His uneasy feeling intensifies, although he can’t visually pinpoint why. 

A dark, enormous building looms about 200 feet in front of him, surrounded by guard posts and bright-red radioactive laser wire. One touch of that wire could roast virtually any being in the universe. 

Based on what he sees, it dawns on the Doctor which planet they had landed on. He had only heard stories about this place but had never visited for obvious reasons. This isn’t a planet you should visit without specific purpose. But why are they here…?

Jack pops his head outside the door. “Yo, how’s it…whoa-ho-ho!” His eyes widen as he looks around. “Are we on Crimineth?”

The Doctor blows out a breath. “Unfortunately.”

“Dammit, Doc, what did you do?” His eyes grow even wider. “What did I do?”

Martha joins Jack at the door. “What’s wrong with this place?”

The Doctor turns around to face them. “Crimineth is a prison planet. The worst criminals in the galaxy get sent here after their home planet exiles them.”

She stares out at the bleak landscape. “They must’ve done some pretty awful things to end up here.”

The Doctor nods. “Each planet has its own laws, but the biggest universal offense is initiating a planetary or universal takeover. Many of these blokes have tried dominating the universe.”

Martha freezes, his words triggering a flashback of the very person who tried to dominate her home planet not too long ago. She doesn’t entertain the sickening thought, but it still sends a chill up and down her spine. 

“I’m not going out there,” she announces. 

Jack nods. “Yeah, I’m not, either. If they’re lookin’ for me, they can’t know I’m here.”

The Doctor agrees whole-heartedly with their decision. He wouldn’t advise them to accompany him on this planet; however, they can’t leave just yet. He needs to understand why the TARDIS sent them here. 

Suddenly, a group of guards rush over to them on metallic hovercraft scooters with their weapons drawn. Yeah, this was bound to happen on the most heavily guarded planet in the universe. Jack quickly shuts the door, and the Doctor raises his arms in surrender. The guards screech to a halt within feet of the Time Lord.

A bright ring flashes around their shiny helmets, a black shield obscures their faces, making it difficult to determine their races. They could be anything, really, including human.

The Doctor puts on his best grin. He’s been in this position so many times it’s not even funny…but he still grins. “Ello! Nice planet you got here. A bit dull and musty, though.”

Clearly unamused by his quirky introduction, the lead guard, his nametag reading Larrt, barks, “Identify yourself!”

“The name’s John Smith. I’m here to…visit a friend.”

“Do you have any identification with you?”

The guards watch as the Doctor reaches into his coat pocket, their fingers on the triggers, ready for anything. Instead of a weapon, the Doctor reveals his Psychic Paper and tosses it to Larrt. 

He catches the paper and scans it before tossing it back. “Your credentials check out, Mr. Smith.” He scoots over. “Hop on.”

**D/M/D/M/D/M/D/M/D/M**

After hitching a ride on one of the coolest hover-scooters ever, the Doctor arrives at one of the many entrances. The prison is so big that it has thousands of main entrances, which divide the building into sectors. The TARDIS spit them out near this particular one — Sector 410, to be exact. 

Upon walking inside, a particular scent floods the Doctor’s nostrils. He sniffs quietly a few times. His eyes widen. It couldn’t be… 

Larrt approaches the desk where a young, pink Vrentorian sits typing away at a computer-like device, her antennae sticking through her fluffy hair. “Xeltra, we have a visitor.”

Xeltra gives the Doctor a once-over. “Who are you here to see?” she asks, her voice high and squeaky.

The Doctor almost doesn’t even hear her. The scent consumes him, sending his brain into a fog. Tears prick at the corners of his sensitive, brown eyes. Is his mind playing a dirty trick on him? Or perhaps it’s an effect of this planet? Either way, the sweet, familiar scent can’t be real. 

“Sir?” Xeltra asks in concern. 

“Smith, you need to give us a name,” Larrt says.

The Doctor clears his throat. “He…he goes by the Master.”

“Well, that narrows it down to about three million.” She rolls her eyes. “Where’s he from?”

“...Gallifrey.”

Xeltra shifts through the files on the device. “We actually do have an inmate from Gallifrey. I don’t know how that’s possible, though, since I heard the planet was destroyed.” She shrugs. “He’s being contained in the sector right behind me.”

The Doctor feels as if his hearts are going to burst from his chest. “He’s actually here?”

“Yes. He’s been here for almost six months now.” 

Well, the timing coincides with the Master’s failed reign over Earth. Apparently making him suffer the way all those humans had suffered was the better punishment.

“Can I see him?” he asks quietly, although he already knows the answer. 

“Of course!” Xeltra squeaks. She pushes a button beneath the desk, which opens the double-doors behind her. “He’s in cell C32.”

Escorted by the guards, the Doctor walks through the open doors. The long hallway contains thirteen rows of cells on each side listed alphabetically from A-C. The cells have a transparent, shatter-and-sound proof glass window, which baths the large room in eerie silence. Row C is the third from the bottom, so the Doctor hops onto the hover-scooter to reach the level.

The row begins with cell C1, so the Doctor starts walking down the corridor with a guard in tow. He focuses on each number he passes, not paying much mind to the obscene gestures some of the inmates make at him.

The Master’s scent is overpowering now, even through the thick glass. He shoves his trembling hands inside his coat pockets when he arrives at cell C32. His hearts skip a beat at the sight of the man he thought he had lost. 

The Master is reclining on his unmade cot with his arms folded behind his head. He looks oblivious to the Doctor’s presence, although there’s no way he is.

“Koschei,” he murmurs.

Larrt pulls out a radio-like device. “Master, you have a visitor.” He presses a button on the panel next to the cell, causing the glass barrier to slide open. “I’ll be here in case anything happens.”

The Doctor draws in a deep breath as he steps inside the cell. The door closes behind him with a soft _whoosh_. 

Cautiously, he approaches the mad man’s bedside. His Converse-clad footsteps echo off the stark walls, prompting the Master to sit up. Hazel meets brown. One face transforms into a grin, while the other remains in a daze.

“Ah, Doctor, I thought I smelled you.”

The Doctor leans against the wall. “He let you live.”

The Master snorts and pulls himself into a seated position, his blonde hair riddled with bedhead. “That’s right. The stubborn bastard refused to kill me.”

The Doctor glances at the ground. “If it’s any consolation, I’m glad he didn’t kill you.” 

“Oh, yeah, the whole ‘I don’t wanna be lonely anymore’ stuff, right? Is that why you came after me?” 

“I didn’t come after you intentionally. The TARDIS found you.”

The Master quirks a brow. “Is that right? Wow, what a waste.” He sighs. “She led you all the way out here to help someone who doesn’t need it.”

The Doctor looks back over at him. “Aren’t you tired of being in here?”

“Actually, no. This place isn’t all that bad.” He pauses. “Guess what?”

“What?” 

Chills dance along the Doctor’s spine when the Master knocks four times against the wall in a familiar, frightening beat. 

“Hear that? Because I don’t. They’re GONE!”

The Doctor knits his brows. “How?”

“I don’t know, but whatever they did worked!”

The Doctor’s face softens with a smile. He is beyond happy to hear such news. The Master smiles back at him. 

Something is different about him. He’s still quirky, but he’s always been quirky. It’s his eyes. For the first time in hundreds of years, they actually look relaxed. This gives the Doctor a glimmer of hope — long-awaited hope that the Master can change for the better. 

“I’m glad they helped you, but I can help you too.”

“I’m not in the mood for another marriage proposal, Doctor.” 

A light flush creeps onto the Doctor’s face. “I’m not…” he clears his throat, “think about it. Don’t you miss travelling through the universe?”

The Master thinks for a moment before shrugging. “Sometimes, but there can’t be much more to see.”

The Doctor smiles. “Oh, but there is. There is so much more you haven’t seen. Remember our lectures from the academy? The whole of time and space is so big that — ”

“Not one being from any race will ever see its entirety.”

“Exactly. Besides, you’ve always travelled alone. Travelling with someone else is a completely different experience.” 

The Master eyes him. “You’ve always had an absurd faith in me. Can’t you see I’ve paid my dues? I’m finally where I belong.” 

“No, you’re better than this! Your potential isn’t limited to a prison cell.”

“My ‘potential’ is what got me locked up in here, Doctor!” the Master rears. “It’s too dangerous for me to be out there.”

The Doctor approaches him. “Not if you change your focus and be the proper Time Lord you were meant to be.”

The Master looks up at him silently. The Doctor’s faith in him really is beyond absurd. He is the only person in the universe who genuinely believes there’s still some good in him. On the other hand, if he lets the Doctor go, he might never see him again. A tiny part of him — he admits helplessly — doesn’t know if that would be OK.

“How are you going to get me out of here?”

The Doctor’s face lights up with a delighted grin. “Atta boy! And don’t you worry, I’ll take care of it.”

The Master rolls his eyes. “Like always.”

The Doctor approaches the glass and motions for the guard to open it. However, Larrt only opens it a crack.

“Is everything OK?” 

The Doctor nods. “I’d like to bail him out.”

“There is no set bail for one of the most dangerous criminals in the universe.”

The Doctor leans in and lowers his voice. “Ah, well, how many people you got locked away in here? Ten, maybe twenty billion?"

“Somewhere in that range, yeah.”

“And how many of them were driven mad by a drum beat?”

Larrt thinks for a moment. “I think he’s the only one.”

The Doctor nods. “Right. He wasn’t always on the path to destruction. And now that you’ve rid him of the drums, you’ve also rid his desire to conquer the universe. I will help him onto the path of rehabilitation."

“I don’t know, are you sure?”

The Doctor waves his hand. “Oh, yeah. You pulled the root of his madness, and there’s no chance it’ll grow back. Bloop, gone.”

Larrt leans in. “Five million.”

“What’s that?”

Larrt looks around lowly. “His bail is set at five million.”

The Doctor pulls out a wad of currency from his pocket. “He won’t do anything under my watch.” He counts out the correct amount and hands it to Larrt.

Larrt shoves the money into his pocket. “I don’t know why I trust your judgment, but if he acts out again, it’ll be on you.” He opens the door the rest of the way.

The Doctor steps out and turns to the other Time Lord. “Oh, I forgot to mention that Martha and Jack are travelling with us.” 

“What?!”


	2. Chapter 2

“What is he doing here?!” Martha shrieks.

The two Time Lords have just arrived back at the TARDIS and, well, let’s just say things are instantly tense, which is to be expected. Jack has his gun out, and Martha is cowering behind him.

“Yeah, what is this bastard doin’ here?” Jack asks, his tone icy.

“This ‘bastard’ is why the TARDIS sent us out here,” the Doctor says.

Martha scoffs. “You’ve got to be bloody joking! How can you trust him after what he tried doing to my family and my planet?!”

“I won’t do it again,” the Master offers casually. “I’m over that whole ‘taking over the galaxy’ stuff.”

“Oh, right. You’ve been taking over planets for hundreds of years! Why would you suddenly stop?”

“Because the drums have stopped.”

“Really?” Jack says.

The Master nods. “I haven’t heard that dastardly sound in months.”

“Even if that happened, I will never trust you.” Martha glances at the Doctor. “Take me home.”

“Martha…” the Doctor starts.

“Take me home right now!”

“…if that’s what you want…”

Martha holds up her hands and exits the control room. 

The Doctor sighs and says, “Try not to kill each other,” before following after her.

Jack’s eyes narrow as he keeps the gun pointed at the renegade Time Lord. The Master just yawns.

“I’m not going to attack you. Feel free to put the gun away any time.”

“Nah, I don't think I will."

In a swift movement, the Master's sonic screwdriver appears in his hand. Jack’s weapon deactivates with a powering-down sound. 

“How’s it feel now?” 

Jack scowls, shoving the now-useless weapon away, and reaches for another one. The Master is quick to stop him and deactivates it. Weaponless, Jack stands there in defeat, his gaze hardened.

“No fair!”

The Master puts the screwdriver away and leans back against the console with a smirk.

**D/M/D/M/D/M/D/M/D/M**

“Ello? Martha?” The Doctor knocks on her bedroom door. 

When he doesn’t get a response, he walks in. She shoots him a look over the shirt she’s folding. 

“I didn’t tell you to come in.”

“I know.” He shoves his hands inside his coat pockets. “I’d like to talk about what’s going on.”

“Oh, come on. Even a blind bloke would know there’s a deranged, mad man on board!”

“Formerly mad,” the Doctor corrects. “And still deranged, perhaps.”

Martha retrieves more coat hangers from the closet. “You know, Doctor, I thought you of all people wouldn’t fall for his rubbish. He can say anything he wants. I mean, look at my planet. He said all the right things and, BOOM, everyone started following him.” 

The Doctor rubs the back of his neck. “I couldn’t let him stay there.”

“But he belongs there, Doctor. He got sent there for a reason!”

“No, he doesn’t.”

Martha stops packing to stare at him. “Have you gone mad, too? Have you forgotten everything he’s done?”

“I'll never forget everything he’s done, but I believe he can change.”

“Change?” She gives a tense laugh. “Don’t be ridiculous; people like him don’t change.” 

“He can with time. When you’ve travelled as long as I have, you see how time can mend things.” 

“Right, well, I’ve lived long enough to know that time can also destroy things.”

The Doctor diverts his gaze to the ground. She made a fair point. It’s inevitable sometimes, but he doesn’t like to think about that bit. The Master isn’t among the inevitable.

“He’s all I have,” he says quietly after a moment.

“Sorry?” 

The Doctor draws in a breath. “The Master is all I have left. We’re the last Gallifreyans.” Martha opens her mouth to respond, but the Doctor continues, “Imagine if Earth was destroyed in some atrocious nuclear war. You believe you are the only survivor, which means you are now the last human in the universe. You lost everything: Your home. Family. Friends. You’re forced to leave with the heartbreaking belief that you are alone. Suddenly, many years later, you discover that you aren’t alone. You’ve never been alone. Another human survived the destruction of your planet. Would you be able to turn them away?”

“If they were a right prat, I would.” The Doctor raises a brow, and Martha sits on her bed with her eyes downward in thought. “No. Now that I’m thinking about it, I don’t think I could.”

The Doctor sits next to her. “I know you’ll never fully understand, and I’m glad you won’t, but I couldn’t let him go again. Not after all we’ve been through.”

“What do you mean?”

“Long before the fall of Gallifrey, we were the best of mates. When we weren’t busy with our studies, we would run about in his father’s fields or lie in the tall grasses and talk for hours. We were inseparable.”

Martha stares at him. She had had no idea they used to be that close. "Were you two ever...more than mates?" she can't help but ask.

A lump forms in the Doctor’s throat. “No, our relationship never went beyond friendship.”

Martha relaxes, clearly satisfied with the answer; however, she doesn’t know the whole story. She doesn't know about the romantic feelings he's been harboring for his former friend. She doesn't know how, despite the Master's madness, despite their many faces, despite the distances between them, the Doctor's feelings have persisted. 

They fall silent, until the Doctor stands. “I’ll work on getting you home.”

Martha chews on her lip. Part of her doesn’t want this amazing experience with the Doctor to end already, but the other part is still bitter about what the Master did. Can someone like him change? It’s obvious the Doctor is desperate to have his old mate back. 

A sudden pang of jealousy strikes her. The extent of their early relationship seems to be a touchy subject, which is why she ventured to ask if the Master is a former love interest. It hurts to think about the possibility, given her own feelings for the beloved Time Lord, but is it really worth giving up this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?

She rushes out into the hallway. “Doctor, wait!” The Doctor stops. “You can cross 21st century London off the list.”

The Doctor’s face breaks out into a grin at the implication. “All right, Martha Jones! Brilliant!”

He pulls her in for a brief hug then bounds into the control room, where Jack and the Master still are. He isn’t surprised at the lack of conversation, but he is relieved they aren’t at each other’s throats.

“Is Martha OK?” Jack asks.

“Yeah, she’ll be all right,” the Doctor responds. “She decided to stay.”

“Wow, really? What changed her mind?” 

“Eh, a few things.” He’s careful to leave out the details.

“Even after what I’ve done?” the Master asks curiously. “How forgiving of her.”

The Doctor gives a little shrug in response and sets the TARDIS on cruise. He decides against the mystery planet he had picked out earlier because it was one the Master had tried to dominate before. Those people won’t be so forgiving if he shows back up. Pleased to see the TARDIS back on the proper grid, the Doctor leans against the railing to watch her work.

“Are we back on the grid?” Jack asks. The Doctor nods. “Cool. I’ll be getting ready.” He shoots the Master a look before using his vortex manipulator, vanishing in the blink of an eye. 

The Master looks from the Doctor to the TARDIS controls. “I’ve missed that sound.”

The Doctor glances at him. “Bring back memories?”

“Many.” He sighs. “Many of them rather unpleasant.” 

“I can imagine. Well, this old girl is yours now, too.”

The Master shakes his head. “This arrangement doesn’t have to be permanent, Doctor.”

“You’re banished from nearly every planet in the galaxy. It has to be.” 

“I don’t belong here.”

“Well, you don’t belong on Crimineth.”

“So you think I can just start over? Clean slate, is that it?”

“I’d like to think so.”

“Of course you do. I can’t exactly undo what I’ve done.”

“You don’t undo it; you move past it.” 

The Master huffs and leans back in the seat. “Easier said than done, Doctor.”

The Doctor just gazes at him — gazes at this broken man who’s potential was ripped from him at such a young age and replaced with corruption. The Master is a quick learner and was among the smartest in their class. Their peers actually admired him. Although the Master’s reputation is eternally tarnished, the Doctor knows there’s still time for him to turn around. He will never fully escape what he’s done in the past, but now he can be the Time Lord he was meant to be.

“You got any food around here?”

“I’ll show you to the kitchen.” The Doctor motions for the Master to follow him down the hallway.

“I know where the kitchen is,” the Master states flatly.

The Doctor shrugs. “I don’t have anything better to do.”

The Master snorts in amusement. “Apparently not.”

A TARDIS kitchen bears a similar size and appearance to a large kitchen on Earth. Cabinets made of precious Gallifreyan wood line the perimeter of the space. There is plenty of counter space, along with a sink and an oven. Separate microwave and refrigerator units sit next to the counter. The dining table, made from the same luxurious wood, stands off to the side.

Upon arrival, the Master goes straight for the fridge before the Doctor can say, “help yourself.” He drools at the impressive collection of food. A lovely chicken catches his eye. 

Martha strolls into the kitchen. “Actually, Doctor, I would like to…” She trails off, noticing the Master with the chicken. “Oi, that’s mine!”

The Master smirks. “Not anymore.” 

He shoves the plate ‘o chicken underneath the warm ray. A light beam scans the poultry to identify it and warms it to the perfect temperature. He tears into a chicken leg to accentuate his point, causing Martha’s eyes to narrow. 

“I wasn’t joking when I said we need name tags on our food,” she says. “Jack’s been taking off with my food, too.”

“Yeah, he does that,” the Doctor says.

“Sounds like I have something in common with Captain Jackass after all,” the Master comments. 

He sits down at the table, not bothering with utensils, and chows down on the chicken with his bare hands. 

Martha makes a face, and the Doctor’s brows furrow in concern.

The Master feels their eyes on him and slows down. “Do you mind?”

Martha turns away to find something else to eat. The Doctor fills a kettle with water.

“Anybody want a cup of tea?” he asks.

The Master wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. “What kind of tea? Earth tea?”

“Well, I have some of that, but I also have tea from Castoria, Phenylix, and Grapph.”

“Grapph…that was one of the places on my hit list. Such a naive race, much like humans. I never made it there, though.” 

Martha settles on yogurt with granola and blueberries. “That’s some good news.” She glances at the Doctor. “Earl grey, please.” 

“I’ll go Castorian. They do a nice drink.”

The Doctor nods at their requests and pulls out three tea bags, along with three cups. 

Martha walks into the living area in order to keep a safe distance from the ill-tempered Time Lord. She plops down on one of the red, velvety chairs while eating her yogurt. The Doctor’s love for vintage movie theaters inspired this cozy space. The chairs are similar to that of an old Earth theater, except with a modern twist: They recline. Martha wastes no time reclining in her seat and sighing in contentment. 

The Doctor walks in with her tea moments later. “What were you saying earlier?”

“Ta.” She nods gratefully and holds the cup. “Oh, I was hoping you didn’t cross 21st century London off the list. I’m not going to stay, but I’d like to pop in and visit the family. Maybe do a bit of shopping.” 

“That can be arranged.” He sits down next to her and sips on his tea. 

She smiles. “Whenever you’re ready for another vacation, just let me know. I have a list of gorgeous Earth places to visit.”

The Doctor chuckles. “I wouldn’t doubt that. Earth is bursting with beautiful places.”

“I wouldn’t doubt that, either, Doctor.”

Martha frowns at the Master’s voice. She watches him sit on the other side of the Doctor.

“Of all the planets in the universe, you fixated on Earth,” the Master continues, “Every article you researched, every report you wrote, every speech you delivered at the Academy was about Earth.”

Martha glares at him. “I love living on Earth. Since the Doctor loves it too, it shows he has good taste.” 

“Good taste? I hardly call Earth a planet of good taste. There are much more refined planets out there.”

“Although Earth is still a fairly young planet, it is better than most,” the Doctor reasons. “Several planets suffer from brutal world-wide persecution and inequality, which means they are stuck in a perpetual state of political and social unrest far worse than Earth’s.”

“Earth has it’s bad moments, but I couldn’t imagine worse,” Martha says.

The Doctor shakes his head. “You wouldn’t want to.”

The Master scoffs, cradling his tea cup in his hands. “Psh, even Gallifrey wasn’t that great, but it was still better than Earth.”

“As much as I adore Earth, I love our homeland more than anything.” He glances at the Master. “Don’t you ever think about it?”

The Master takes a slow, careful drink. “Of course I do.”

“What about the times we had?” _Do you ever miss what we used to be?_

The Master glances at the carpeted floor. _All the time_. He gives a small nod, almost too small for the Doctor to see. Almost.

“Enough about the past. What are we going to do in the now?”

The Doctor removes himself from his musings and looks at the other Time Lord in concern. “Now that you’re on board, we can’t just go anywhere.”

“Oh, goodie, you mean I can go somewhere?” 

“Well, yeah, but we just need to be careful.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence, Doctor.”

“Well, it’s true, isn’t it?” Martha asks. “That the Master is the work of nightmares? People on Earth will be passing down the story of his attempted takeover for generations.”

“Other planets have already been doing that for centuries.”

“For the record, I almost got away with it. I didn’t come that close to dominating any other planet.”

Martha rolls her eyes at him. Sure, the Doctor’s story of them on Gallifrey pulls the heart strings, but that doesn’t change the fact the Master is dangerous. So what if the drums are gone? There’s no way that short time on Crimineth completely changed him. 

After finishing his tea, the Doctor walks into the kitchen, setting the cup under a device that cleans it. No hard scrubbing required aboard the TARDIS.

“You ready to go, Martha?”

“Go where?” the Master asks curiously.

The Doctor glances at him. “You’ll see.”

He takes the TARDIS off cruise and allows her to land. The blue box is a bit stuffier with another body on board, so it will be good for everyone to get some air, no matter where they end up.


	3. Chapter 3

“21st century London? Are you bloody kidding me?” The Master stands in the TARDIS doorway, gaping at the familiar landscape surrounding them.

“Nope.” Martha shoves past him and steps out onto the quiet street. She turns around and faces him with a smile. “You better stay away from my house, or I will alert the neighborhood that you’re back and have you killed.”

The Master waves his hand. “Yeah, yeah, whatever.”

“Good. I’ll be a while, so you don’t need to wait around for me.” She looks directly at the Master. “Just don’t let him loose.”

Jack cocks his gun. “No worries there, darlin’.”

The Doctor sighs while Martha trots up to her front door. Her mum, Francine, answers it then excitedly pulls her daughter in for a hug. When she looks at the TARDIS, Jack grabs the Master’s arm and yanks him out of sight. 

“Ello, Doctor!” she calls out with a wave.

“Ello!” The Doctor waves back. “How’ve you lot been?”

“We’ve been well, although the day just got better now that our daughter is back.” She smiles. “You have time to join us for brunch?”

“You could’ve been like this if you had travelled with someone,” Jack comments.

The Master sneers at him. Sure, he had felt his share of loneliness during his travels, but he hadn’t particularly cared to find a companion. He thought it too much like settling down. Things would’ve felt too comfortable. The Master enjoyed marching to the beat of his own drum, so to speak.

The Doctor rocks back on his heels. “Oh, I hate to turn down such a lovely offer…can I take a rain check?”

Francine nods. “Certainly, Doctor. See you later.” She sets a hand on Martha’s shoulder, leading her inside before closing the door.

The Doctor glances at his two remaining companions. “Dumb and dumber” would be an appropriate title for them, if only he didn’t care about them so much. 

“Sheesh, Doc, I could really learn a thing or two from you when it comes to the ladies. They’re all so sweet on ya.”

The Master gags. “Give me a break.”

The Doctor ducks his head. “Eh, I’m not doing anything on purpose.”

“You must have some secret, though. I mean look at Rose. She was easy on the eyes all right.”

The Doctor flinches at the mention of that name. Although he cared for her deeply, he was never in love with her. It quickly became obvious that she harbored feelings for him, which made the situation a tad complicated. Little did she know a certain someone had long claimed the Doctor’s hearts. Sure, it would’ve been easy to love her, but he couldn’t; not when he was grieving for the love he thought he had lost.

“She was one of the best companions I ever had.”

Jack huffs. “Yeah, and she was crazy loyal to you. Missed opportunity there.”

The Doctor gives him a look. “That’s not what our relationship was. I had more respect for her than that.” 

The Master pulls a face. He shouldn’t be disturbed by the possibility the Doctor was romantically involved with one of his companions. After all, it wasn’t unheard of. Old were the tales of Time Lords falling in love with their companions, regardless of species. As to be expected, that could lead to a whole host of problems, and many of the alleged relationships were unsuccessful. However, what disturbs him more is the spark of jealousy that flares within him.

Jack shrugs. “Whatever. I guess I just don’t get how you can resist a beautiful woman throwing herself all over you.”

“Because some of us have a bit more control than that?” the Master says. “It’s not that hard to figure out.”

The Doctor claps his hands together, indicating a much needed subject change. “All right! Where should we go?”

Jack looks at them with a quirked brow. “What is with you guys? Is it, like, part of the Time Lord oath to never talk about sex or something?” 

“Gallifreyan attraction isn’t as…carnal, as human attraction,” the Doctor says.

“In other words, we’re not addicted to sex the way you filthy humans are,” the Master corrects. “We have better things to do.”

Their eyes meet, and they stare at each other until the Master clearly gets uncomfortable and looks away. The Doctor’s gaze lingers on him for a moment longer before he too looks away.

Fortunately, Jack doesn’t mention it. “Huh, weird. But I’ve known weirder. All well.” He shrugs. “I’m gonna go have a look around while we’re here. See ya!”

With a touch of his vortex manipulator, Jack vanishes, leaving the Time Lords alone once again. The Master exhales in relief.

“I thought he’d never leave.”

“Welcome to my world.”

They fall silent for a few heart beats. The Master licks his lips.

“Did you love her?”

“Sorry?”

“Rose. Were you two ever...ya know...”

The Doctor heaves a sigh, leaning against the railing. “It’s a long, complicated story, but I was never in love with her, no. Why’d you ask?”

The Master shrugs. “I’m just not really a big fan of interspecies mixing.”

“Well, it’s not like there were other Gallifreyans around.”

“There was me.” The Doctor’s eyes widen slightly, and the Master’s cheeks darken. “I don’t mean like that!”

“I didn’t know you were still out there.”

The Master clears his throat. “Right, er, let’s just go somewhere. It feels a bit stuffy in here.”

The Doctor feels it too. He also feels foolish for thinking that conversation was going in the direction he was thinking. He rests his hands on the TARDIS panel.

“Where do you want to go?”

“To the stars.” The Master can’t help but chuckle at the Doctor’s expression. “Oh, I don’t know. Anywhere but here.” 

The Doctor drums his fingers against the panel thoughtfully. This isn’t an easy decision. Not when the Master’s reign of terror was so broad, spanning several planets in several time zones. This means the chosen place must be unfamiliar with his current regeneration or else this could get ugly. A sudden thought enters his mind, causing him to brighten and snap his fingers.

“Oh, right!” He gives a little laugh, pushing this and pulling that. “Hold on!”

From her comfortable spot in her own living room, Martha hears the familiar whir of the TARDIS taking off. Her parents also hear the unmistakable noise and look out the window.

“Wonder where that man could be off to now,” Francine remarks.

“He’ll be back for you, won’t he?” her father Clive asks.

Martha stares out the window. “Of course. He wouldn’t leave me.” _I’m still important to him._

**D/M/D/M/D/M/D/M/D/M**

Right after landing, the Master eagerly steps outside to see where they ended up. He’s taken aback by the simple yet beautiful landscape surrounding them. Mile after mile of tall, golden grasses sprout from the ground, providing a lovely contrast against the deep purple sky, where flecks of silver flicker like stars. There isn’t a single building in sight to interrupt this amazing landscape. 

The Master soaks it all in, closing his eyes and tilting his head up while breathing in the oxygen-rich air.

The Doctor steps out right after him. He walks about ten feet away from the TARDIS and falls back into the soft, thick grass. It catches him, cradling his back like a nice cushion. He releases a sigh of contentment and folds his hands behind his head. The Master approaches him.

“Lovely, isn’t it?”

“I’ve never been here before. It feels kinda like—”

“Home?” The Doctor looks up at him. “That’s why I brought you here.”

“Why do I need to be reminded of home?”

The Doctor doesn’t answer. Instead, he pats the spot next to him. Hesitantly, the Master lies down. Their bodies are just inches apart, a fact they are both trying not to think about.

The only sound is the grasses blowing about in the gentle breeze. The noise is so familiar to them, so comforting, that they just listen—listen to the sounds long forgotten through years of travel.

“We would lay out in the fields for hours,” the Doctor murmurs. “Remember that?” 

“Yeah,” the Master answers quietly, staring at the sparkly sky. “We’d be gone for so long my father would yell for us to come back.”

The Doctor chuckles lowly. “Sometimes he had to come find us because we couldn’t hear him.”

“I remember he didn’t like us going near the Border.”

“Oh, but we did it anyway!” He laughs. “I’d sneak us some of my mum’s bretvel. Remember how good that stuff was? Ohhh, what I’d do to taste it again.” 

A smile plays on the Master’s lips. “Your mum’s cooking was fantastic. Much better than my father’s.”

The Doctor grins. “That one night when I had dinner at your place...dear Rassilon, I will never forget how awful that stew was.”

The Master chuckles. “Me neither. I appreciated his efforts, but the bloke really needed some cooking lessons.”

They chuckle about it before continuing to discuss other things they remember. They do this for a while, filling the peaceful air with chatter and laughter. Every time the Master speaks, the Doctor’s eyes are on him, soaking in the sight of his bright smile and twinkling eyes. The Master hasn’t been this open and content in centuries. The Doctor decides it’s the most attractive thing in the universe.

The Master sits up, several shards of the silvery grass clinging to his back. “Doctor, why are you doing this?”

“Doctor who?”

“…Doctor you?”

“It’s only us, Koschei.”

The Master tenses. He hasn’t heard that name in ages. And that’s OK. He has always hated it. Unbeknownst to him, the Doctor has always been fond of the Master’s name, secretly finding it adorable. 

“We don’t have to use those titles when we’re alone,” the Doctor continues. “Say my name.”

The Master opens his mouth, but the word gets hung up in his throat. It’s been so long since he’s said it.

“…I can’t.”

The Doctor’s hearts falter. “I guess that’ll come with time.”

The Master rubs the back of his neck. “Maybe.” He pauses. “You didn’t answer my question, though. Why are you doing this? Why are we here?”

The Doctor also sits up. “I want you to really get to experience a place without the drums. And what better place than one that resembles home?”

The Master stares out at the shimmery landscape. “I do miss home. Now that I’m able to think about it clearly, of course.”

“I do too.”

They sit in silence, just listening to the breeze rustling through the grasses, while reflecting on their shared loss. They remain here for what feels like eons until the breeze transforms into a strong wind that forces them back inside the sanctity of the TARDIS.


	4. Chapter 4

The Master stretches out on his ridiculously soft bed. He had fallen asleep after being shown his room, which the Doctor had graciously set up to his liking. In fact, that twinge he was starting to get in his lower back was gone, thanks to the mattress being so nice.

His jaw opens in a wide yawn. He actually feels rested whenever he wakes up now, a feeling he hasn’t experienced since he was a child. He also has dreams more often—another refreshing change, to say the least. He had even just dreamt of his and the Doctor’s childhood and was disappointed upon waking to find it was only a memory.

He leaves his room and wanders down the large corridor until he overhears the Doctor and Martha chatting in the kitchen, where he decides to make his presence known.

“Well, 'ello there, sleeping beauty,” the Doctor greets with a cheeky grin. “You have a nice nap?”

Although he cringes on the inside, the Master lets it go. “How long was I out?”

“About three Earth hours,” Martha says.

The Master hums in response. “What else you got to eat around here?”

“Well, Martha is off the menu, I’ll tell you that right now.”

Martha blinks. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Oh, Doctor, if I wanted to eat your companions, I would have done so already.”

“Right, well, help yourself to the Nutribase. It creates any food in the galaxy you can think of, remember?”

The Master waves his hand. “Yeah, yeah, I remember how it works.”

“And whatever you don’t finish can go in the fridge or pantry.”

“Yes, sir.”

The Master stands at the Nutribase while thinking of what to order when he overhears Martha ask, “Would he really try to eat me?” and chuckles quietly to himself.

He decides on a nice helping of glecksher—a flightless bird similar to a chicken from the planet Corishka—and a side of savory potato-wheat curls from Vintro.

“Would you like something to wash all that down with?” the Doctor asks when the Master gets settled at the dining room table.

“I’m not interested in any Earth beverages, if that’s what you’re after,” the Master says flatly.

The Doctor grins. “Oh, it’s not from Earth!” He disappears into the kitchen then returns moments later with a shimmery glass bottle.

The Master’s eyes widen, and he nearly drops his fork. “Is that a bottle of Mentzer?”

The Doctor nods enthusiastically. “That it is! And it’s the only thing I have left from Gallifrey.” _Besides you…_ His smile falters.

“I...couldn’t ask you to open that, Doctor.”

“I would if you really wanted me to.”

“Well, I don’t. You should hang onto it.”

The Doctor studies him then the bottle before sighing. “I suppose you’re right. Maybe there’ll be a special occasion.” He carefully returns the bottle to its respective cabinet. “Is there anything else you’d like?”

“Nah, I’ll be fine.”

That’s when Jack suddenly appears in the room with them. “Howdy! What’d I miss? Anything good?”

“Not really,” the Doctor responds. “How was London?”

“Well, people aren’t running around screaming, so I’d say all is well.” He glances at the Master. “How are you doing?”

The Master glares at him. “Why do you care?”

Jack shrugs. “I don’t, really, I just want to make sure you aren't full of murderous rage.”

The Doctor rubs at his eyes. “Come off it, Jack.”

The Master leans back in his seat, picking at his teeth, his feast already devoured. “I’d probably only consider murdering you, you prat, if you could actually die.”

Jack grins. “That makes two of us, then.”

“Right!” The Doctor claps his hands. “Where should we be off to next?”

“Will I be allowed out or am I forever stuck inside this blue prison box?”

“Of course you are allowed!” the Doctor says. “You are a companion now.”

“Yeah, and we wouldn’t dare leave you alone in here, anyways,” Jack adds. 

Martha clears her throat. “I’m fine with going anywhere.”

“To Xenorexafarlia it is!”


	5. On an Adventure Pt. 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember how I mentioned this story gets rather Doctor Who adventure-y? Well, this is one of those chapters. Hope ya'll enjoy!

The Doctor is the first one out the TARDIS once she lands on the soft, dark soil. He stares out at the valley situated below and draws in a deep breath of the crisp air. This is a planet he has never ventured to before and is excited to start getting acquainted. The rest of the crew steps out after him.

“Welcome to Xenorexafarlia! Land of the Toh-Shalas and the Grylans.”

“Grylans?” the Master repeats quietly.

Martha gawks at their surroundings. “This place is beautiful. It almost looks like an Earth city, only more…alien.”

“They definitely have some state-of-the-art technology down there,” the Doctor says.

“Wait, Doctor, you mentioned the Grylans are here?” the Master says.

“Yup! The Toh-Shalas signed a Cohabitation Proclamation with the Grylans after Siron became a dead planet, literally mined to death for its precious metals.”

“What’s a Cohabitation Proclamation?” Martha asks.

“It’s a document that basically allows two different species to live together in peace on the same planet,” Jack says. “It’s a pretty rare thing, so there aren’t many of ‘em out there.”

The Master looks around. “I shouldn’t be out here.”

The Doctor eyes him. “Why?”

“I might, ah, have dominated Siron…” the Doctor gapes. “…for a short time, until the Grylans overthrew me.”

“And you’re now telling us this?” Martha splutters.

The Master’s throat bobs. “I didn’t know about the Proclamation or else I would’ve said something sooner.”

“How did you not know about this, Doc?” Jack asks.

The Master scoffs. “He doesn’t know half the places I’ve tried to conquer.”

“When was this?” the Doctor asks.

“Oh, it was about 40 years ago.”

“That’s far enough in the past that you should be OK.”

Jack scoffs. “But are we? What if someone recognizes him?”

“He’s regenerated since then. Nobody will recognize him.”

“So, this Proclamation thing,” Martha says, “how effective is it?”

“Very effective,” the Doctor says. “I haven’t heard of one being broken, so planets mean it when they want one.”

“Is that why there’s a mix of farmland and city?”

“Could very well be. Grylans are industrializers, so they must have built the skyscrapers, while the Toh-Shalas maintain the agriculture, which is what this planet is known for. Very fascinating.”

While the two continue chatting about the planet and its inhabitants, Jack takes note of the large, grey building located a few hundred feet away from them. A blue-skinned creature dressed in a white lab coat exits the building.

Jack nudges the Doctor. “Hey, take a look at that, guys. We got our first alien.”

“Looks like an observatory or something,” the Master says.

“And that is definitely a Toh-Shala,” the Doctor says.

“He’s walking on two legs like a human,” Martha comments. “Are they similar to us?”

The Master scoffs. “He’s got blue skin. Humans don’t.”

The Doctor gives the Master a look. “Anything that is bipedal shares that feature with humans.”

“Should we get his attention?” Jack grabs out his gun.

The Doctor yanks Jack’s arm down. “No, no, no, we aren’t going about it that way. Put it away.”

Jack looks slightly defeated but complies and slides his gun back into his belt. “Excuse us! Hey, over here!” He waves his arms.

The Toh-Shala must’ve heard Jack even from that distance because it looks at the group. 

“Ha, that worked!” He starts walking over to the large dirt lot where the Toh-Shala stands.

The Master watches Jack, unamused. “Is he usually this…I dunno…peppy?”

The Doctor sighs and scratches the back of his neck. “Yeah, most of the time.”

“And if it looks like he’s dead, don’t freak out,” Martha adds.

The Master nods slowly. “…I’ll remember that.”

Jack reaches the Toh-Shala within moments and puts on his usual charm. He grins and holds his hand out in greeting. “Captain Jack Harkness.”

The Toh-Shala stares at his hand in bewilderment before slowly backing away. “Who are you?” 

“I just told you. I’m Captain Jack Har—”

“There’s no need to repeat your title again,” she interrupts. “I want to know what you are and where you came from.”

“Oh, OK. I’m a human…or more like a super-human actually, which means that I—”

“So you are of Earth, then? It figures. Humans want nothing more than to mess with other planets!”

Jack's eyes narrow. “Hey, now, what is with this attitude? I thought you guys were a peaceful race.”

The Toh-Shala gives him a look and sighs. “I’m sorry. It’s just that, as of lately, we think that...” She trails off when she notices the rest of the group walking towards them. “Oh, great, there’s more of you.”

“Huh? Oh, yeah, they came here with me. We all travel together.”

“How cute,” the Toh-Shala comments snidely and keeps her distance.

The Doctor eyes her with interest since he has never seen a Toh-Shala in person, while the Master keeps his gaze low as if she might be able to figure out who he is.

“Ello! I’m Martha.” Martha waves and flashes her a friendly smile.

The Toh-Shala slowly looks at each one of them. “What do you all want? Why are you here?”

“Well, we were just hanging out in orbit and this was the closest planet, so we decided to pop in for a visit,” the Doctor replies with a grin.

“You were out in orbit? All of you…out up there?” She points up at the orange-colored sky. The Doctor nods. “Wow, you humans are more even more sophisticated than we thought.”

“Oh, they’re not human,” Martha says, causing the Master to tense when she points at him and the Doctor. “They’re from Gallifrey.”

The Toh-Shala’s light purple eyes widen. “Gallifrey? Last time the Grylans had a visitor from there, it didn’t go so well…”

“So we heard,” the Doctor says, keeping his tone casual. “We’re so sorry that happened.”

The Master nods slowly, his face a bit paler than usual. “Yeah, that was rather…despicable.”

“May I ask what you are doing out here, miss?” the Doctor asks politely.

The Toh-Shala face palms. “Oh, sorry, my apologies for not introducing myself. Iluna Laa Verasai, scientist. My lab is in that building over there. I’m out here to gather soil samples.”

“What for?”

Iluna’s pupils get larger. She quickly looks around before stepping closer to them and lowering her voice. “We have been finding unusually high amounts of radiation in our soil lately. A little bit is natural, but we have never seen such high concentration before.”

“I thought I smelled radiation as soon as we got here,” the Master says, exchanging glances with the Doctor.

“Do you think it could be because of all the industrialization?” the Doctor says.

Iluna shrugs and shakes her head. “We aren’t sure. We have only noticed a steady increase over the course of about six months.” She retrieves a small vial from her coat pocket and bends down to pack it with soil.

The Doctor has that curious look on his face when he wants to investigate a situation further. “Mind if we speak with your boss?”

Iluna slips the full vial back inside her pocket and stands up straight. “Follow me.”

When they reach the observatory door, Iluna grips the handle and glances back at them.

“I must warn you that he gets cranky sometimes. This whole radiation thing has gotten everybody worked up. You saw how I just was.”

Jack scoffs. “Yeah, we did. Not exactly a pleasant little ray of peace and sunshine.”

Iluna rolls her eyes and opens the door, motioning for them to follow her in. The interior of the building has a monotonous color scheme. The floor is made with dark-grey stone tiles with specks of chrome in them. The walls are white, the windows made of crystal. Several individual lab stations are set up to their left and right, each of them containing their own equipment.

“Wow, this is fairly advanced,” the Master remarks.

Iluna smiles proudly. “We have put a lot of money into this facility. We tore down the old one so a newer, more innovative place could be built. It paid off.”

The Doctor nods while looking around. “You all came up with this technology?”

Iluna’s smile slowly fades. “Um…well, not us Toh-Shalas. The Grylans built this facility and technically they are the only ones who are supposed to be operating it, but they let me slip past due to my scientific intelligence. This is way more fun than working the farm, anyways.”

“Labor is divided based on race?” the Doctor says. “How is that?”

Iluna shrugs. “Pretty much. My people work the fields, and the Grylans run the city. That was the agreement. We do what we do best, and they do what they do.”

“Whoa! Check out this laser gun!” Jack shouts from across the lab. Leave it to him to abandon the group for a weapon. He picks it up and studies it with wide, fascinated eyes.

“Don’t touch that!” Iluna hollers and rushes over to him.

“Jack!” Martha rolls her eyes and follows after them so that things don’t get ugly.

“That’s a curious thing,” the Doctor murmurs when they are out of earshot.

“What is?” the Master murmurs. “The radiation?”

“No…well, apart from that. If they are a unified society, how come there’s labor segregation?”

“Maybe because you get that anywhere? Inequality exists in every society.”

“True. But I’m starting to get the feeling that the Toh-Shalas are treated like second-class citizens, even though they were here first.”

“You think the Grylans could be using them?”

“I don’t know, but something’s not right.”

“Excuse me, can I help you gentlemen?”

The Doctor and the Master turn to face the elderly Grylan standing behind them. His hair is long and platinum-colored, which indicates old age in this species, and his skin is light green and wrinkly. He is wearing a white lab coat, along with the traditional headgear that Grylans wear to protect their naturally softer skulls. He’s staring at them through the glasses perched on the end of his nose.

“Hello, sir, we are with the Galactic Alliance of Technology, and we just need to check out your facility to see if it is safe for operation.” The Doctor whips out his psychic paper and flashes it in front of the Grylan’s face.

“Well, I certainly wasn’t aware of any inspection being done today! I am Professor Toldreyn, and I am the one in charge of this place.”

“Nice to meet you, Professor,” the Doctor says, his eyes darting around. “You have a brilliant facility here. Very flashy.”

Toldreyn smiles. “Why, it certainly is. We Grylans don’t believe in using that cheap stuff. We want the best for our people.”

“The best for just your people? Or the best for everybody?” the Master asks curiously.

Toldreyn blinks. “For everybody who inhabits this planet, of course! We are united as one for the greater good.”

The Doctor raises a skeptical eyebrow. “How come you don’t have any Toh-Shalas working in here, then?”

Toldreyn snorts. “In case you haven’t noticed, we do have a Toh-Shala working in here. You are being a bit dodgy for an inspector, don’t you think? The Toh-Shalas have their place, and we have ours. They want it that way. Anyways, do you care to see our facility or would you like to stand around wasting more time?”

The Doctor clears his throat. “We would love to have a look around.”

“Good. The sooner we get this over with, the sooner you two can leave. You are giving me a headache already.” He gently rubs his temples then starts walking in the opposite direction.

The Doctor and the Master exchange glances before following after him.

“Doctor!” Martha rushes over to them. “Jack got taken away by security! I tried talking them out of it, but they didn’t listen.”

“That’s fine by me. Being locked up might do him a bit of good,” the Master comments.

“He won’t be gone for long,” the Doctor says. “Jack is brilliant when it comes to persuasion.”

“Where are you two heading off to?” Martha asks.

“The man who runs this facility is giving us a tour.” The Doctor answers and motions at Toldreyn. 

The group doesn't get much further up the hallway when Iluna comes rushing up to them with a clipboard. 

“Professor! You might want to take a look at this.”

Toldreyn takes the clipboard and pats her on the shoulder with a smile. “This is the Toh-Shala I was telling you about.”

The Doctor nods. “We’ve met.”

Toldreyn looks at the clipboard. “Good Allistar…the radiation levels have jumped a total of 2.5% since yesterday!”

“What is the total radiation percentage currently?” the Doctor asks.

“It is reported to be at around seven rems right now,” Iluna responds.

“That’s getting close to being dangerous to the population,” the Master says. “Many planets can only safely sustain up to ten rems.”

“Right,” the Doctor says. “This isn’t a radioactive planet, so that high of a number tells me that something is going on. Something is causing this, but what?”

Iluna stares at the Doctor fearfully. “We have been trying to decrease the level, but no matter what we do, it still keeps climbing.” She reaches for the clipboard, only to find that Toldreyn has a tight grip on it. “Professor, I need that back.”

Toldreyn is staring up at the ceiling with his mouth slightly agape. His eyes are wide and slightly rolled back in his head, his body tense and rigid. His mouth is moving like he is having a conversation, although no sound is coming out.

“Great, he’s doing it again,” Iluna mutters and keeps trying to pry the clipboard from his hand.

The Master cracks his knuckles. “Let me handle this.” He steps forward and smacks Toldreyn right across the face.

Toldreyn jolts at the slap. He blinks his eyes several times and releases the clipboard. He takes a moment to compose himself. 

“What was that for?”

“Are you OK?” Martha asks in concern. She glances up at the ceiling to see if anything is there.

The Doctor also studies the ceiling before settling his gaze on the professor. “What did you see up there?”

Toldreyn looks around at everyone. “Of course I’m fine. And it was nothing.” He hikes up his sleeve and glances at his watch. “Looks like the tour will have to wait. I have some work to get back to."

The Doctor watches him leave before turning to Iluna. “How often does he do that?”

Iluna scoffs. “I don’t know. At least a few times a week, if I were to guess. I think the radiation is making him go mad.”

“No, that wasn’t an effect of radiation poisoning. The way he was looking up…he wasn’t just trying to see something; he was communicating with it.”

“You think he was actually talking to someone?” Iluna shakes her head. “Look, I know he has his crazy moments, but I don’t think he’s delusional.”

“That was delusional, and trust me, I know it when I see it,” the Master says. “I think the Doctor’s right on this one.”

The Doctor cracks a tiny smile and feels a glow of pride before getting distracted by loud footsteps. Jack comes running up to them, his face red and his chest heaving.

“Hey, guys! Man, I’m glad you’re still here. We might wanna get out soon, though. I knocked the guards out, but who knows how long they will stay down.”

Martha shakes her head. “You always find a way, don’t you?”

Jack grins. “That’s right, doll face. Nothing can keep me down!”

Iluna rolls her eyes and turns to the Doctor and the Master. “You both seem to be men of extraordinary knowledge. Where do you think the radiation is coming from?”

The two Time Lords exchange glances. “I’m starting to believe that it’s a someone rather than a something that is causing this,” the Doctor answers.

The Master nods in agreement and starts piecing together a possible scenario in his mind. “It’s definitely criminal in nature. Since they are targeting the soil, it’s easy to believe they are targeting your people.”

Iluna looks back and forth at them before laughing nervously. “That’s absurd! No, really…who in their right mind would do something like that?”

Before either of them could reply, the sound of shouting gets their attention once again. The Doctor looks down the hallway and sees Jack and Martha peering into one of the rooms.

“Um, Doctor? The professor is acting up again.” Martha motions for the Time Lords to come take a look.

The Doctor looks in and sees the professor shouting and shaking his fists up at the ceiling.

“I know we are running out of time…yes, I know! The radiation has increased by 2.5% since yesterday. Our revolution is coming!”

“I have never seen him act this way before,” Iluna says lowly. “Oh, Gari’elle, this is embarrassing.”

“He believes something is speaking down to him,” the Doctor says. 

“Something about a revolution?” the Master says.

“Maybe he’s just senile,” Jack says with a shrug. “You never know with older aliens sometimes. Crazy old bat.”

“Hey, that’s my boss you’re talking about!” Iluna shouts. “I will have you know that he is a much respected member of this society!”

Toldreyn slowly turns his gaze on the door. His grey eyes are flickering with splashes of yellow, as if a flame were burning inside of them. He slowly raises his arm and points at the door. 

“There…there they are! Look! See for yourselves those illustrious beings that were wrought before us! What’s that?” He cranes his neck and places his hand behind his ear. “Oh, you want me to do away with them?” He walks around to his desk and retrieves a large laser gun from one of the drawers. “No problem.”

“Right, I think we should run,” the Doctor says with an affirmative nod.

“Run? That’s your best strategy, Doctor?” the Master says.

“Boring, right?” Jack says.

“We need to get you lot out of here,” Iluna says. “Follow me!” She takes off down the hallway.

“See?” The Doctor starts after her. “I’m not the only one with the brilliant idea!”

The Master rolls his eyes and follows them. Martha is right behind him, and Jack brings up the rear, his hand on his gun in case the situation escalates.

Toldreyn cackles while watching the group take off. He pushes the lockdown button beneath his desk then strolls out of his office. Warning sirens blare throughout the facility. The other scientists in the building obey the proper emergency protocol by taking cover wherever they are.

The Doctor watches with wide eyes as the lockdown takes place around them. The wail of the sirens, the flashing of red warning lights, the poor employees cowering in fear, and the windows and doors shielded with thick metal coverings. He grips the Master’s wrist and can feel their pulses racing together. No matter what happens, he won’t lose him. 

The Master glances down at where they’re joined. He’s about to make a snide joke about if the Doctor does this with all his companions but feels the timing isn’t appropriate. Martha watches them with a frown.

Iluna has almost lead them to the entrance before several armed guards rush over and block the door with their guns drawn.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” she mutters. 

The group comes skidding to a halt behind her, and the guards immediately surround them, deeming escape impossible.

“Well, well, well, what do we have in here?” Toldreyn walks through the guards, standing in front of them. His eyes are still flickering.

“Professor, I want to know what is going on,” the Doctor says.

“What is going on?” Toldreyn snickers while shining up the gun on his lab coat. “I don’t know if you would believe me if I told you…Doctor…”

The Doctor’s eyes widen. “How do you know who I am?”

Toldreyn points up at the ceiling. “Our ancestors told me. You see, Doctor, they speak through me. I am their messenger. They tell me what they want to have happen, and I do it.”

“What are they telling you?”

“Oh, they tell me many things—too many things. Sometimes they don’t know when to shut up!” He shakes his fist at the ceiling before quickly putting it back down. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it! Anyways, what our ancestors want is a new home for us.”

“But this planet has become your home. Isn’t that enough?”

“Of course it isn’t! Nothing will take the place of our beloved Siron!”

“Then what are you doing with the radiation? Where does that come into play?”

“That part is simple. We have been controlling the radiation through an underground chemical generator by releasing small amounts each day.”

Iluna stares at Toldreyn through a mixture of hurt and betrayal. “My people are the ones who work with the soil. That much radiation will harm them!”

Toldreyn grins and claps. “That’s the plan! Oh, isn’t she smart? She is terribly smart for a Toh-Shala.”

“You…you son of a Yarik! You’ve had me working against my own people this whole time!” She lashes out at him only to be held back by two of the guards. “How could you do this to us? We trusted you!”

Toldreyn shrugs and smiles. “You people are so pathetic with all this talk of peace and love. It’s nauseating! However, that made you easier to take advantage of. The moment you took us in we started figuring out a way to destroy you and to make this the next planet of the Grylans!”

Iluna’s eyes shine while she struggles in the guards’ grip. “How have I not known this…how did I not see the signs?”

“Because you lowly people are brainwashed into thinking every creature in the universe can’t and won’t hurt you. Take her away!”

The guards pull her over to a transportation pad located on the right side of the room. Before anyone can react, they are gone.

The Doctor stares after her. Everything that he and the Master had speculated from the beginning turned out to be true. Call it a well-crafted Time Lord instinct, but they just know when something isn’t right. 

“Where did you take her?”

“She is just going to be locked up in a chamber on the south side of the city where she will be treated like a delinquent. And she won’t be the only one, Master.” Toldreyn looks right at the stunned Time Lord. “That’s right, I know who you are, too. You helped start what would be the destruction of our planet. You killed thousands when you tried taking over.”

“Oh, bullocks,” the Master says with a scoff. “I used mind control, not murder.”

Toldreyn shakes his head solemnly. “Same difference. The mind control led them to their deaths.”

“You murdered them?” the Doctor says quietly.

“No, it was different!”

“But, you have murdered people before, so it’s not that hard to believe,” Jack says.

“Not helping!”

The Doctor’s eyes flicker from Toldreyn to the Master. He knows from experience to choose his battles wisely, but it’s hard for him to know the whole truth when he wasn’t there.

“In the end, what matters is that a planet was eventually destroyed,” he says. “The Master may have influenced it, but you were powerful enough to prevent it from completely happening. Your people only added to your own destruction.”

The Master’s gaze softens when the Doctor speaks. He is taken aback by the Doctor standing up for him. 

Toldreyn glares at the Doctor. “You have a soft spot for a murderer, Doctor! Whether you like it or not, his takeover damaged the fragile wall of our ecosystem. It was beyond repair.” He pauses and rubs his temples. “Now my headache is returning. Ugh! Guards, just take him away.”

“Don’t you dare touch me!” the Master shouts, attempting to fight them. He glances at Jack. “A little help here!”

But Jack doesn’t budge. The Doctor also tries fighting them off, but the guards were much too strong for the both of them. The Doctor watches helplessly as the Master is dragged to the teleportation pad where he too disappears.

“No need to look so glum, Doctor. He and Iluna will be safe and cozy in the chamber. Now, I have some important work to get back to. Guards, see to it that our guests leave.” He clears his throat. “All right, everybody, the danger is over. Get back to work!” He motions at the two remaining guards before retreating to his office and shutting off the lockdown.

With the door free from the metal barricade, Martha, Jack, and the Doctor make their way out the front entrance escorted by the guards. When they get far away enough from the building, the Doctor rounds on Jack. 

“Why didn’t you help him?”

“I thought I wasn’t allowed to use excessive force?”

“Not excessive, but you could’ve done more.”

“Like what?”

The Doctor thinks for a moment before his shoulders drop. He really can’t think of something either of them could’ve done without inciting a bigger struggle.

Jack eyes him. “What’s gotten into you, Doc?”

“The radiation could be getting to all of us,” Martha says.

The Doctor’s thoughts immediately shift onto her. “Humans can’t handle much exposure, so it could really get to you if we aren’t careful.” 

“I know how terrible radiation sickness is. I saw it in a patient once.” She chews on her lip.

“Well, if it gets too much higher, you’ll have to go back to the TARDIS. I’ll let you know if the level reaches critical.”

She nods. “So what do we do now?”

“We need to get to the chamber. We aren’t leaving the Master or Iluna in there.”

Jack blows out a breath. “I dunno, Doc, maybe he should stay where he belongs.”

The Doctor steps right up to him so they are inches apart, his face stern. “I’m not leaving him. Not again. Do you understand that?”

Jack eyes him levelly. “Fine. While you’re doing that, I’ll find the underground generator and shut it down.”

The Doctor nods in agreement. “Martha, let’s go find the prison.”

After making their way down the steep hill, the Doctor and Martha enter the city. The city bears a striking contrast to the countryside. The ground is paved with what looks like the precious metal ore. The buildings are made out of chrome with platinum detailing and crystal windows. It is visually stunning and even the Doctor is impressed. 

The Grylans are an affluent race known for their impeccable mining and construction abilities. Their planet was a hot spot for the mining of precious metals and gems. When Siron was destroyed, the Doctor can only imagine how detrimental the loss was to the whole universe. Several planets relied on their mineral assets and even had established trade routes. He almost can’t blame the Master for being attracted to Siron. 

The planet was ranked as one of the most powerful and prosperous planets in the universe. However, where there is technology, there is someone protecting it. The Doctor truly believes the Master’s failed take-over wasn’t the main reason for the collapse. It is probable the Grylans simply got power-hungry and mined their planet to death.

“I hate when aliens stare at us.” Martha’s voice cuts into the Doctor’s thoughts. She shivers at all the unwanted attention they are attracting.

“To them we are the aliens,” the Doctor replies. “Just make sure to act and look friendly.”

The streets are filled with Grylans and Toh-Shalas from all different walks of life. Apart from their obvious genetic differences, it’s also easy to tell both races apart from their clothing. The Grylans are dressed in business suits or in other work apparel, while the Toh-Shalas are the overall-wearing farmers standing on the curb with a produce stand. This division greatly disturbs the Doctor.

“I don’t understand why after all these years they still aren’t an integrated society.”

“You think they could just be mooching off each other’s resources?” Martha asks and puts on a grin for a staring Grylan they walk past.

The Doctor nods. “That’s part of it. The professor made it evident that the Grylans view the Toh-Shalas as a nuisance. Since they don’t have the legal authority to kill them through war, they want to kill them unknowingly via radiation.”

“That’s dark.” Martha shakes her head. “Like silent genocide is any better.”

“Fresh produce! Get your fresh produce here!”

The voice belongs to a young Toh-Shalan farmer standing behind a produce stand. The city was eerily silent until he had shouted. It appears he is the only one bold enough to speak up with the foreigners walking around. His bright green eyes are focused on the Doctor and Martha.

The Doctor shoves his hands into his coat pockets and casually approaches the stand. He checks out the assortment of Xenorexafarliahn fruits and vegetables displayed in wicker baskets. Out of the corner of his eye, he observes how everybody seems to return to normal now that he and Martha appear preoccupied.

The farmer offers a warm smile. “Welcome to Solusar’s produce stand! I grew and harvested this fine produce all by myself. The Suna berries are the latest addition.” He points out a cluster of large, dark green berries nestled in one of the baskets.

Martha eyes the berries. “Mind if I try one?”

Solusar’s smile widens. “Sure! I understand that it’s nice to try before you buy.” He picks one of the berries off the cluster and hands it to her.

“Let me see that.” The Doctor takes the berry from him and holds his sonic screwdriver to it.

Solusar watches the Doctor curiously. “…what are you doing? And what is that?”

“It’s this device called a sonic screwdriver. It can do a lot of cool things, and it’s, well, sonic,” Martha explains with a chuckle.

“It doesn’t look like Grylan technology.” Solusar eyes the Doctor. “You’re not a Grylan in disguise, are you?”

“Who? Me? Nah,” the Doctor says.

“Oh, well, that’s good. I never know what they are doing anymore, so that’s why I asked.”

“I don’t think you want to know,” Martha says lowly.

“Huh?”

“Nothing.”

“Ah! Just what I thought,” the Doctor exclaims. He throws the berry to the ground and smashes it with his foot.

“Hey! What are you doing?!” Solusar cries out. “You know how long it took me to grow these?”

The Doctor scans the entire produce selection with the screwdriver. His tone grows serious. “I hate to tell you this since you’ve worked so hard, but you can’t sell your produce.”

“What? Why not?”

“There is a dangerously high level of radiation in each item. You are basically selling squishy bundles of contamination that will kill anyone who eats it.”

Solusar stares down at the produce with wide eyes. “Oh my Halb…are you sure? I mean…how do I know I can trust your word?”

“Because I’m a doctor,” the Doctor replies.

“So am I,” Martha adds proudly.

Solusar glances back and forth between doubtfully. “Let me get this straight: You are human doctors who go around checking out the safety of foreign produce stands?”

The Doctor shrugs and nods. “Pretty much.” He pulls out his psychic paper and flashes it in front of Solusar’s face. “We are with the Planetary League of Health and Safety. I have deemed this produce inedible and demand you dispose of it immediately.”

“But my dad is expecting me to bring home a profit. This is my first season of running a stand on my own! I can’t mess it up.”

The Doctor grows more fearful for the inhabitants of this planet through Solusar’s ignorance. He isn’t sure if all of the Grylans even know about the take-over plan. 

“I think your father will understand if he is aware of the problem.”

“There are lethal levels of radiation in your soil, and it is transferring to your produce,” Martha says.

Solusar knits his eyebrows together. “How come me and my family haven’t heard about this? We run a farm just like every other Toh-Shala.”

“We just performed a study on the soil and found out. We are still investigating the cause,” the Doctor says lightly. He doesn’t want to alarm Solusar with too much information.

Solusar sighs. “I can’t believe it. All of this hard work for nothing.”

“It’s not your fault, Solusar,” Martha says reassuringly. “You were just doing what you were raised to do.”

“But why didn’t anyone tell us? There is an observatory up there on our soil. How difficult would it be for them to let us know?”

“We are currently investigating that,” the Doctor answers. “But, for now, you can do your part and get rid of this contaminated food.”

Solusar hesitantly picks up one of the baskets. A Grylan makes her way over to the stand. “Sorry, ma’am, but this stand is closed.”

The Doctor turns to her. “All of the produce stands in this city are closed. Don’t buy anything from any of them.”

The Grylan eyes them before continuing on her way. The Doctor can only hope that people don’t start dropping dead left and right. He picks up two of the baskets to help Solusar out, and Martha picks up the remaining two.

“My father is going to kill me…he is going to kill me,” Solusar mutters over and over again while digging a hole in the soft soil. 

The group is back up on the countryside to dispose of the toxic produce. Once the hole is deep enough, he throws down the shovel and picks up the basket. Solusar bites his lip while watching the berries roll down into the hole.

The Doctor dumps both of his baskets then sets his hand on the teen’s shoulder. “When you go home, you need to tell your family about this problem.”

Solusar looks at the Doctor fearfully. “We have been eating off of what we grow…are we going to die?”

“You will if you continue eating it, I’m afraid. You will have to make due with other food sources until this gets under control.” Solusar nods. “Oh! And before I forget, do you know how to get to the chambers?”

Solusar’s eyes widen. “Well, I’ve never actually been there, but it’s on the south side of town. You can take the public shuttle to Harvaretta Road, which is about two blocks from there, I think.”

“Right, we must be off with our other inspector-ly duties. Pleasure to meet you, Sir Solusar! But please do tell your family what I told you, yeah?”

Solusar nods. “Of course. Thank you, doctors.”

**D/M/D/M/D/M/D/M/D/M**

Underground, Jack has been working on pinpointing the location of the generator with a little help from a Grylan guard. He discovered the entrance to the underground base by chance because he started wandering around aimlessly and saw the concealed metal entrance open for one of the guards. He got caught loitering on the property, which was part of the plan, and a few guards had brought him in for questioning. They weren’t fazed by his smooth-talk, and they took him prisoner. However, the quiet guard who was present at the questioning ended up freeing Jack and taking him to one of the offices so that they could talk.

Jack eyes the young Grylan in disbelief. “What’d ya free me for?”

The Grylan looks around as if they are being heard or watched, although the office door is closed and locked. “I wanted to, sir. I believed everything you were saying back in the interrogation room.”

Jack raises his eyebrows in surprise. That was a first. “Oh, yeah? Well, I’m glad that somebody did.”

“Yeah, it didn’t seem right for you to be locked up.”

“But I’m a human. Doesn’t that bother you?”

To his surprise, the Grylan shakes his head. “I don’t care. I never believed the stories I grew up with. I like to think for myself.”

Jack nods in approval. “That’s the best way to do it. I’m Captain Jack Harkness.” He holds out his hand. “You?”

The Grylan stares at his hand in bewilderment. Shaking hands obviously isn’t a customary greeting on this planet. Jack gets a punch on the shoulder instead. “I’m Jurraude.”

Jack quickly gets the memo and punches Jurraude back. “Cool name. How long have you been working in this base?”

“Not long. I graduated from the academy just three weeks ago.”

“Ah, so you’re a newbie, then. That figures why you trust me so much,” Jack chuckles then clears his throat. “As you heard in the interrogation room, I’m a generator inspector. That means I inspect generators on different planets. So I need to check and make sure everything is running smoothly.”

Jurraude nods in understanding. “I don’t get why the generator is so protected. I guess I’ll find out one day. I’m not qualified to know all of the militia secrets yet.” He frowns slightly.

His lack of knowledge about the generator surprises Jack. That means he hasn’t been made aware of the radiation attack.

“Well, I can’t do my job until I inspect that generator, which means I’m stuck here until it gets done. Man, I don’t know how I’m gonna do this…”

Jurraude looks around. “This might help.” He pulls out a folded piece of paper from his jacket pocket. “The sooner this is returned, though, the better.”

Jack takes the paper before carefully opening it. He grins as it unveils a map to the generator. “I take it that big square thing in the middle is the generator?”

“That’s right. You can see it’s through a series of corridors and some of them are guarded, so we will have to be careful. I haven’t even been in the generator room yet.”

“Well, buddy, today is your lucky day." Jack winks.


	6. On an Adventure Pt. 2

On the south side of town, the Master and Iluna have undergone the usual criminal processing before being assigned to an individual chamber. The Chamber Crypt is partially above ground so that it’s visible, but the chambers themselves are located underground. Since there isn’t a cot in his chamber, the Master is on the hard ground with his back against the wall, and his gaze fixed on the ceiling overhead. The dull architecture and stillness in the air almost makes him want to fall asleep from boredom. If it wasn’t for the uncomfortable draft, he just might have. 

Iluna’s chamber is next to his, and he looks in at her. She is huddled in a corner with her arms wrapped tightly around herself, and her head bowed. She isn’t taking too well to the dreaded draft, either. The two have hardly said a word to each other in the four earth hours since they arrived here. He glances over at the guard who is supposed to be keeping an eye on them, only to see that he has fallen asleep at his post.

The Master sighs and stretches before yawning. “This is even worse than the last place I was locked up at.”

Iluna slowly lifts her head and yawns as well. “What’s that?”

“At least the last place had a bed. Do they expect us to sleep on the ground?”

“That’s how we do it here. The people who get locked up don’t deserve comfort or luxury of any kind.”

The Master is partially relieved that she is responsive. “Will we get a trial or what? How does it work here?”

“After a week, we have the right to testify before the Grand Court and explain to them what happened. It is up to them to decide whether we are innocent or not.”

“We’re stuck in here for seven days?”

“Yep. Only six more to go!” She shakes her head and rests it back against the stone wall. “So you mentioned you’ve been locked up before?”

The Master runs a hand through his bleached hair and nods. “I just got out of prison a little while ago. I was on Crimineth.”

Iluna shudders. “I’ve heard stories of that place. What were you in for?”

“Oh, the usual. I tried taking over earth, and I got close, so close…but then the Doctor interfered like he always does.”

Iluna can’t help but chuckle. “He’s an interesting one, isn’t he? He’s so…oh, I don’t know how to describe it…”

“Quirky?”

“Yeah! That’s a good word.”

“Tell me about it.” He utters a chuckle of his own. “He always has been.”

“How long have you two known each other?”

“Oh, I could spend days just talking about our past.” He rests back against the wall as his mind starts wandering. “We became friends at a young age. Inseparable, we were. Until I looked into that bloody Schism.” He shook his head. “That changed everything.”

“How so?”

“I went mad. That’s why I’ve done all the terrible things I’ve done and ended up on Crimineth. From then on, the Doctor keeps thinking I can change. He believes in me far too much.”

Iluna draws her legs up to her chest. “People can change, though.”

“But he hasn’t. He’s still the same kid I knew on Gallifrey. Foolish, pig-headed…brilliant.” A strange warmth spreads across his chest and into his hearts. He isn’t entirely sure what the feeling is, but he has felt it before while thinking of the Doctor. 

Iluna glances at him. “Are you in love with him?”

The Master gapes. “Did I sound like…what do you…are you out of your mind?! That’s impossible.”

“You just had this look on your face that sort of looked like longing.”

The Master pulls a face. “Don’t be absurd.”

“I’m sorry I said anything.”

“You should be.” 

“Dinner time!” 

A tray slides into Iluna’s chamber via a small rectangular slot on the door. The guard who put it there slides an identical tray into the Master’s chamber as well. 

“Eat up!” He chuckles and sits back down at his post.

The Master stares at the pale food. He sniffs it a few times and is able to pick up its chemical composition. He glances at Iluna.

“So, this is what chamber food looks like,” she says. “You know, I’ve heard about it, but I’ve never seen it before.” She picks up her tray and sets it down. “It’s better than nothing, right?”

The Master shrugs and backs away from the tray. It’s lucky for him that Gallifreyans don’t need to eat very frequently. He huddles back against the wall when a familiar smell gets his attention. Sitting up straighter, he sniffs the air a few times. 

“He’s here.”

“Who?”

“The Doctor. He found us.”

Iluna looks around. “I don’t see him. How do you know?”

“Time Lords just know.” He grins cockily.

The guard suddenly rises from his post. “I’ll be right back.” 

He sets his hand on his gun and slowly walks down the dim hallway, the only source of light coming from a few torches on the wall. He is able to make out the appearance of two silhouettes heading his way. One of them is carrying a torch. 

“There are so many corridors…are you sure we are even going down the right one?” a female voice whispers.

“I know it is. I can smell him,” another voice calmly answers.

“Uh, Doctor? Is there someone up there?”

“Halt! Stay where you are!”

The silhouettes stand still, and the whispering briefly ceases. The guard can make out some of their features through the flickering orange glow of the torches. He is surprised to see what looks like two humans. The taller one hands off the torch to the shorter one and boldly steps forward so that he’s more in the light.

“You might not want to use that.”

“Who sent you?” the guard asks.

“We’re here to get our friends back,” the Doctor says.

“Visitors aren’t permitted in this corridor!”

“We don’t mean to cause any harm. We just want to see to see them for a few minutes. We aren’t armed.” He holds up his arms and indicates that Martha do the same.

The guard eyes points the gun at them before falling over and landing on the ground with a thud.

“Man, I dunno about you guys, but I was getting tired of that.”

The Doctor and Martha whip around to see none-other-than Jack standing there holding a large tranquilizer gun. “This will only keep him out for half an hour, so we gotta move quickly.”

“How did you find us?” Martha asks.

“The Doctor doesn’t always move fast. I figured you’d still be here.” He grins while the Doctor shakes his head.

“Captain!”

A Grylan dressed in a guard uniform is running towards them. Martha gasps, and the Doctor turns to start running.

“Look out!” Martha shouts.

“Whoa, guys, relax,” Jack says. “He’s here to help us.”

Jurraude is out of breath by the time he reaches them. He sets his hands on his knees and takes a breather. “Whew, I haven’t had to run like that since I was in the academy. I came to tell you that all the guards are down.”

“Good work, buddy,” Jack pats him on the shoulder in appreciation. “This is Jurraude. He helped me locate the generator, and we managed to shut it off.”

The Doctor’s face lights up. “Nice work, you two! I’m the Doctor, by the way.”

Martha smiles. “I’m Martha.”

Jurraude awkwardly waves at them. “Nice to meet you.”

With that out of the way, the group continues their way down the hall. They step over the unconscious guard and into the chamber room. The Master immediately gets up when he sees them.

“Ah, Doctor, you decided to come for me after all.” He approaches the bars and wraps his hands around them.

The Doctor stands on the other side, his gaze fixed upon the other Time Lord, and keeps his voice low. “You know I don’t want to see you locked up again.”

“I can’t wait to taste sweet freedom all over again.” He utters a small laugh before his expression grows serious. “Are you all right?”

The Doctor blinks, taken aback by such a question. “Fine, yeah, what about you? Are you hurt?”

The Master sticks his arms through the bars. “I don’t know what it is that they put on those handcuffs, but it rubbed some of my skin off.”

The Doctor gingerly takes the Master’s hands in his before turning them slowly to examine his wrists. The Master flinches at the stinging sensation. He stares at their hands and observes how his hands look smaller compared to the Doctor’s. They would fit together so nicely. Wait, what? He’s quick to dismiss such a strange thought when his arms are released.

“Looks like mild chemical burns. I will take a closer look at them when we get back to the TARDIS.” The Doctor’s lips quirk into a soft smile.

The Master nods. “Thanks, Doctor.”

“Are you going to get us out of here or do you need to snog him first?” Iluna asks with a sly smile on her face.

The Master just shakes his head while Jack snorts back a laugh.

“Oi, I’m getting to that!” the Doctor says.

He stands back and aims his screwdriver at the cell doors. With a click, they both swing open.

Iluna gives Jurraude a once-over. “What’s the deal with you? Aren’t you supposed to be making sure we don’t get out?”

Jurraude shakes his head. “No, actually. I know about all the crazy stuff the government’s been up to, and I want to help stop it.”

Iluna grins. “Cool, it’s like we have a little army now.”

“We may have an army, but we don’t have a lot of time to get out of here,” Jack says with concern. “The serum in that guard is going to wear off in about fifteen minutes.”

“I shot the bigger guards twice because just one didn’t keep them down. They might be out longer, but I can’t say for sure,” Jurraude states.

“Sounds good," Jack says.

The group walks back down the long, drafty corridor in formation. Jack and Jurraude are taking the lead with their guns drawn, while the other four hang back.

“Have you figured out what’s been going on, Doctor?” Iluna asks. “I mean, that stuff with the professor was so bizarre. How long’s he been like that?”

“Well, the way he was talking made it seem like this was planned ever since the Proclamation was signed,” he answers.

“It’s called being discreet,” the Master adds. “The evil-doers leave most of the population in the dark so there’s less risk of rebellion. Since it’s impossible for an entire population to cooperate with an evil plan, it has to be kept secret. Which is what the professor’s done and why he’s gotten so far.” 

“Nice analysis,” the Doctor comments.

“You know I know what I’m talking about here.” He smirks.

“You weren’t so discreet on earth,” Martha mutters.

“I can see that.” Iluna looks back and forth between them. “You two work really well together.”

The Time Lords exchange glances before turning away. Martha rolls her eyes.

“Uh, Captain? It looks like we’ve got movement,” Jurraude says.

Sure enough, a moving silhouette is located about 200 feet from their current position. 

“Yep, looks like one of ‘em is waking up,” Jack says. “You stay with them. I’ll go check it out.”

The guard is still on the ground and is struggling to regain full consciousness after pulling the tranquilizer from his neck. Unaware of the group’s presence, he grabs his radio from his belt and speaks hoarsely into it.

“Pro…professor…it’s Ptavur Shondulin…do you…do you copy?” 

“Yeah, I’m here!” barks the cranky voice from the other end. “I’ve been sitting here waiting for someone to get back with me! What in Allistar’s name is going on down there?”

“We had…trespassers…”

“How many were there?”

“Uh, there were…two…yeah, two trespassers…um…somehow they got access to military-grade tranquilizer guns…”

“What?! Are you telling me that they just went around and shot all of you?” The transmission ends. “Shondulin? Shondulin, do you read? Answer me!”

A few moments fly by before the radio picks up transmission again. 

“Hello? Is this working?”

“Yes, I can hear you loud and clear! Who is this?”

“Oh, hey, there, Professor! Haven’t heard your batty voice for a little while now. Captain Jack Harkness reporting. I really hate to break it to you, but we have all your guards down, including Shondulin…again.”

“What are you doing down there if you aren’t locked away in a chamber?”

“I’m glad you asked,” Jack answers casually with a grin. “We’re just doing what we do best—fighting the oppressor.”

Toldreyn huffs. “I will have you know that we have a strong Grylan army that isn’t afraid of pathetic little humans, Gallifreyans and Toh-Shalas. When we want something, we go after it and conquer it!”

Jack sighs and releases the button. “He sounds just like the rest of ‘em. Why don’t you take it from here, Doc?”

The Doctor takes the radio. “Professor, you need to just stop this and think about what you are doing. Genocide isn’t the answer.”

“Ahhh, well if it isn’t the Doctor. I had a feeling you were there.” Toldreyn laughs before his tone grows oddly calm. “But if genocide isn’t the answer, then what is?”

“I am. I am the answer. I can help you and your people.”

Toldreyn scoffs. “What could you possibly do? You are a Time Lord. Your job is to skip around the galaxy and stick your nose where it doesn’t belong.”

The Master rips the radio from the Doctor’s grip. “I will have you know that a Time Lord’s job is so much more than that. Gallifrey was known as the galaxy’s healer. They were very hospitable people and wanted nothing more than to mend the galaxy’s wounds.”

“Right, and this is coming from the one who destroyed several planets. You are such a hospitable character yourself, aren’t you? You don’t even practice what you preach.”

The Master flinches, feeling those words right down to his core. “You’re right. What I did on Siron was wrong and went against everything I was taught. But I can do what’s right now. And you still have time to reverse what you’ve done.” He hangs his head. “Don’t become like me.”

Silence. The Doctor stares at him. He has never heard the Master speak so openly like that or look so vulnerable. It’s tugging on hearts, and he suddenly wants nothing more than to pull him in for a hug and to just hold him. However, now’s not the time for that. He takes the radio back.

“Doctor, what do you have to say to that?”

“This really has nothing to do with what the Master has done. The Toh-Shalas were on this planet first. They deserve to stay here and live in peace. Your people deserve an uninhabited planet all to yourselves.”

“We have already settled ourselves on this planet. We can’t afford to move everything to a new one. This is our home.”

“No, it’s not your home anymore. I can help you find a new planet to settle on.”

“We don’t want a new planet.”

“Then you must find a way to live here in peace.”

Toldreyn sighs. “Peace means being settled. Peace means contentment. Nobody ever gets what they want through peace alone.”

The Doctor has just about had it. Whenever he feels that particular sinking feeling in his stomach, he knows he is dealing with one of those extremely difficult cases where he feels powerless to change the outcome. Even though he has allies with him, what good are they if he doesn’t know what to do or what direction to go in?

He releases the button. “We need to go to him. We need to confront him face-to-face.”

“Are you serious? That’s suicide!” Iluna says.

“Do you have a better idea?” the Doctor snaps. “This is the only way to deal with it!”

“I’ll go,” the Master says.

The Doctor quickly shakes his head. “No, I need to deal with this.”

“Why? This isn’t your battle. You had nothing to do with this.”

“You didn’t either!” He sighs and lowers his voice. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”

The Master nearly rolls his eyes. “You can’t keep me behind the line forever, Doctor, especially when it’s something I need to make right.”

“I’m going with you, then.” Jurraude throws the tranquilizer gun to the ground and grabs out a laser gun from his artillery vest. “Thanks for helping me realize what’s been going on. I’ll see you all on the other side.” He salutes and takes off down the corridor. He effortlessly shoots and kills the unconscious guard Shondulin on his way out to the next corridor.

“Where are you going?!” the Doctor shouts after him. He is stunned by Jurraude’s behavior and looks to Jack urgently.

Jack takes off after him. “Jurraude! Wait up, buddy!” He hops over the body and races down the corridor after him.

The guard in the second corridor has been awake and managed to drag himself back to his post. Jurraude spots him immediately upon entering the hallway and shoots a single laser at him. He gets him right in the chest and kills him. 

Jack is right on his heels and grabs his arm, tugging him back. “What the hell are you doing?!”

Jurraude yanks his arm away from him. “They’re crazy if they think they’re going up against him without any weapons or training! I’m the best person for this job.”

“But the Master said he was gonna do it. Let him be the one!”

“You know what? I don’t care about what the Master did. It’s over and done with. When I joined the military, I thought I was going to help protect my planet. Instead, I was being trained to destroy it. If this is the twisted world I live in, I don’t want any part of it. I don’t want people to be afraid of Grylans—afraid of _me_. I’m going to put an end to this.”

“I can understand that. Would you like some backup?”

Jurraude thinks for a moment before shaking his head. “I appreciate the offer, I do, but this is something I need to take care of on my own. Tell the Doctor and the Master that they are relieved of their duty. I got it from here.”

Jack nods in understanding. “I appreciate all the help you’ve been. It’s been awesome working with you.”

“It’s been a pleasure working with you too, Captain. I bet it’s a war zone out there, so make sure you get yourself and everyone to safety. Promise me that.”

Jack feels his throat grow tight. “I promise.”

Jurraude salutes at him. Jack salutes back. “I will make sure to clear a path for you guys to get out.” He takes off down the corridor.

Jack watches after him and hears a laser blast right when he disappears around the corner before approaching the group.

“Where’s Jurraude?” Martha asks.

“He went off to fight,” Jack says.

“Seriously? You just let him go?” Iluna asks in disbelief.

“He’s a trained soldier, he’ll know what to do. And he was pretty determined either way.” 

“We should help him,” the Doctor says.

Jack shakes his head. “He wants to do this alone. We really should respect that.”

The Doctor shoves his hands in his trench coat pockets and studies the ground silently for a moment. His hearts are heavy with the fact that loss is inevitable in this situation. It would be honorable if Jurraude dies to save an entire planet, but, in the end, that’s still another life lost.

“I promised him that I would help get you guys to safety,” Jack says.

“I guess that means we get to the TARDIS,” Martha says and feels a wave of relief wash over her.

“The T…ARD…IS?” Iluna sounds out slowly. “What in Gar’ielle’s name is that?”

“Time and Relative Dimensions in Space,” the Doctor and the Master respond in unison. They glance at each other in partial awkwardness and partial amusement.

“It’s the Doctor’s ship,” Jack clarifies.

“Got it,” Iluna says with a nod.

After trekking the rest of the way through the crypt and getting lost a few times, Jack successfully leads the group out. They all just stand there, breathing fresh air and stretching out.

“Ahhh, that’s better. Man, one more minute in there, and I would’ve lost it,” Jack says.

Martha takes off her jacket to let the air hit her skin. “You’re telling me. This feels amazing.”

The Master yawns while stretching and hears the echoes of the what sounds like protests. He looks over at the observatory and sees the swarm. He nudges the Doctor’s arm. “Well, would you look at that?”

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say that looks like a rebellion,” the Doctor says, “which means Solusar and his family spread the word about the radiation.” He smiles at Martha. She smiles back.

Jack slings his arm around the Master. “Getting a taste of freedom for the second time?” He grins.

The Master shoves his arm off him. “Bugger off.”

“Ya know, this is probably how it’s going to be from here on out. You’ll get locked up on a planet you tried to conquer, and we’ve got to come save you. That’s not gonna be too fun.”

Jack’s words buzz around in the Master’s head from there and into the public shuttle. He’s not used to being considered a burden, no…he’s used to being important! However, the Time Lord really didn’t have the chance to do anything after being locked away so fast. Perhaps this _is_ how it will be from here on out. The others will get to run around in the throes of danger, and he’ll be the damsel-in-distress bringing everyone down. Not to mention all the sympathy he’d garner from the Doctor. Bleh, as if he needs more of that.

The Master glares down at his irritated wrists. With how raw and pink the skin is, it’s like his wrists are glaring back. Since he’s practically stuck with the Doctor now, he can only hope he becomes more necessary later on.

“Well, this has been crazy and all, but I better get heading back home now,” Iluna says after the group steps off the shuttle. “Hopefully something good is in store for my people.” She looks right at the Master. “And for you.” She winks.

The Master cocks his head to the side. It takes him a moment to figure out what she was implying, and he fights the impending blush rising to his cheeks. The Doctor quirks a brow. Iluna exchanges farewells with the travellers before going her own way.

“You made a little friend on your first time out,” Jack says. “Good for you.”

“Shut up,” the Master says.

When the group reaches the top of the hill, they are shocked by what they see. It looks like a war had taken place. A long strip of tape covers the battered doors to the observatory, and several black bags are on the ground. The paramedics are still on the scene.

“This place isn’t what it used to be,” a Toh-Shalan bystander says lowly. “We aren’t used to this kind of savagery.” 

“What happened?” Jack asks.

“There was this guard who turned on his own. He shot everybody out here before going inside and killing the professor.”

Jack’s jaw falls slack. “Is he OK? Where is he now?” 

The bystander shrugs. “I’m sorry, but I’m not sure. I haven’t seen him since he broke into the facility.”

Jack rushes over to one of the paramedics. “Excuse me, darling, but do you know the whereabouts of a man named Jurraude?”

The paramedic’s expression turns grave. “He is among the deceased. He was found inside the observatory, along with three others.” She retrieves a plastic storage bag from her pocket. “We were able to positively ID him with this.”

Jack slowly takes the bag from her. Inside it is Jurraude’s base access card with his name and picture. He stares down at the picture of the smiling alien and feels the threat of tears. He was really starting to like the guy.

The paramedic places a hand on his shoulder. “I am so sorry for your loss.”

Jack clears his throat and hands the bag back to her. “Make sure his family gets this.”

“Of course.”

Jack isn’t the only one mourning. The Doctor isn’t too happy with the outcome of this situation, either. He stares on at the wrapped bodies and feels his hearts twist themselves into one big knot. Unfortunately, this ended with more bloodshed than he was anticipating. He wanders toward the edge of the hill and gazes out at the setting horizon. 

The Master follows him while Martha leads Jack back to the TARDIS. He clearly detects the hurt in the Doctor’s aura and slides his hands inside the front pocket of his black hoodie. He is usually terrible at this comforting stuff, so he remains silent as he ponders on what to say.

“I hope you don’t think this is your fault,” he says after a while.

The Doctor keeps his stern gaze transfixed on the horizon. He hardly even blinks. OK, that probably wasn’t the right thing to say.

“Doctor, everything happens for a reason. Isn’t that how it goes? Because death happens. It’s unavoidable.”

The Doctor remains silent. The Master sighs and glances down at the bustling city. That’s when the right words come to him.

“Doctor, take a look down there.” He points at the city and keeps pointing until he sees the Doctor slowly divert his eyes. “Tell me what you see.”

The Doctor stares hard at the city’s inhabitants. “I see people.”

“Yeah, and…?”

The Doctor squints while studying them. “They are smiling. They look happy.”

The Master nods. “Exactly! They’re happy because of what you did for them. Think about it, Doctor. You saved an entire planet from destruction, and you saved two races from extinction. I mean, of course it’s upsetting that some people died along the way, but we are talking about hundreds of thousands of people that are still alive and thriving.”

The Doctor mulls over the Master’s words intently. He finally turns to him and, to the Master’s surprise, he grins. 

“What? What’s that look for?”

“That was actually very convincing.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, it shows me that you care.”

The Master’s eyes narrow. “This wasn’t some sort of test, was it?”

The Doctor shakes his head. “Nah. I get upset over any loss, but you were right about everything you said.” 

“You are so bloody unpredictable, you know that?”

“Is that good or bad?”

“I honestly don’t know. I’m just glad that I didn’t have to go further to get you to talk.”

“Go further? Now what does that mean?”

“Well…you know, like, hugging you or something.”

“You would have hugged me? Well, that would’ve been a sight.” He grins cheekily.

The Master’s face flushes ever so lightly, and he shakes his head. “Of course not. Who do you take me for? I’m not all soft like that.”

“Your blush is telling me otherwise, Master.”

The Master crosses his arms over his chest. “You are so full of nonsense.”

The Doctor reaches out and cups the Master’s face in his hand. “I can’t help that I like messing with you.”

The Master glares up at the Doctor with as much heat as he can muster, but the only heat that flares up is in his cheeks. They grow a darker shade of red, and the Doctor finds it adorable. He smiles softly down at him and then glances at his pouty, _tempting_ lips. He suddenly wishes to cover them with his own.

The Master’s glare slowly morphs into a confused stare. Based on the taller Time Lord’s aura and actions, the Master is sensing more than just a teasing mood within him. He has a hard time getting a clear reading, but he has a few guesses, and they are confusing the hell out of him.

The appearance of a camera crew at the observatory distracts the Doctor. He removes his hand from the Master’s face.

“I have one more thing I need to do. You can go back to the TARDIS.”

A female Grylan reporter is standing in front of the doors. The Doctor stands back and watches for a moment.

“Although a list of the deceased hasn’t been posted yet, I’ve gotten reports of approximately ten casualties. Seventeen-year-old victim Jurraude Bokete is being honored as a hero in what is being dubbed the Radiation Emancipation. Now doesn’t that have a nice ring to it?”

The reporter then announces a commercial break and walks out of the view of the cameras to get a drink. The Doctor seizes this opportunity and casually walks over to her.

“Hi, can I help you with something?” she asks.

The Doctor puts on a friendly smile. “I’m the Doctor, and I’d like to make an announcement on the air.”

“Are you a witness?”

“I just have an important announcement concerning the Radiation Emancipation.”

The reporter suddenly becomes interested and smiles at him. “Great! We could use another voice.” She orders the crew to get back to the programming and takes up her former position in front of the camera. The Doctor stands next to her, and she turns to him. “I will just announce you as a guest speaker, and you can take it away from there, OK?”

The Doctor nods and waits for the crew to announce that they are back on air. The reporter smiles at the camera and begins speaking on cue. 

“Welcome back, Xenorexafarliahns! This is Station 86B News, and I’m Elyzarah Rugaroh reporting live from the observatory. I also have a guest with me who will speak on behalf of the Radiation Emancipation. He is known as the Doctor, and he would like a word with all of you.” 

She holds the microphone in front of him, and the cameras turn to him.

The Doctor clears his throat. “’ello, Xenorexafarliahns! I just wanted to share a word with you about the radiation situation.”

In the safety and comfort of his home, Solusar sees the Doctor appear on the TV. He shoots up from his seat.

“Mum! Dad! Get in here! It’s the Doctor, the bloke I was telling you about earlier!”

“The radiation on this planet has been steadily increasing over the past six months, but there wasn’t an explanation for the phenomenon,” the Doctor is saying. “Scientists kept studying it but couldn’t trace the cause. My coworkers and I found out that a man by the name of Professor Toldreyn had an underground generator that he used to pump radiation into the soil. One of my companions located the generator with some help from Jurraude himself. They worked together to shut it down. There is a toxic amount of radiation in your soil, but it will become safe again over the next month or so. Until then, I recommend that you temporarily stop growing, selling, and trading your produce.” He pauses. “I would like to give a shout out to a young man by the name of Solusar. You were fantastic today, and I wish you luck on all your future endeavors. As for everybody else, I hope your planet is restored to the healthy, peaceful place it used to be. Thank you for your time.” He smiles and hands the microphone back.

“Thank you, Doctor,” Solusar murmurs. “Thank you so much.” 

“And thank you, Doctor!” the reporter says as the cameras settle back onto her. “I’m sure all of us will benefit from that wonderful advice. In other news…”

The Doctor walks away from the limelight with his head held high. He said everything that he needed to say and feels an extraordinary sense of satisfaction. He reaches the TARDIS and positions himself at the controls. With a flip of this and a press of that, she is back into space.


	7. Chapter 7

With the TARDIS successfully back in orbit, the Doctor sets her on cruise control. He leans against the railing, giving himself a moment to decompress and gather his thoughts. 

“Hey,” Martha says, joining him.

The Doctor nods at her. “You look tired.”

“What gave it away?”

“Your eyes.”

She chuckles. “They are feeling a bit heavy.”

“How were things today? You feeling all right?”

“Yeah, I think we did right by those people.”

They stand in silence until the Doctor says, “I know having the Master along will be an adjustment. I can’t thank you enough for your patience.”

She puts on a smile, although she feels like anything but smiling. “Of course. Anything for you.”

He smiles. “Is Jack all right?”

“Yeah, he’s in his room. Losing Jurraude got him a bit worked up, but I think he’ll be fine.” The Doctor nods. “Anyways, I’m off to bed. See you in the morning, Doctor.”

“Sleep well.”

He watches her leave before wandering down the hallway that leads to the living room. Perhaps he can de-stress with a book, like he usually does. 

He comes across the Master reclining on the couch flipping through the interstellar TV channels. The device can pick up thousands of channels at once from nearby planets. The TARDIS translates each program into English so the language barrier isn't an issue. The Master looks over at him when he enters.

“Welcome back.”

“It’s always good to be back.” He plops down next to him. “You find anything good to watch?”

The Master blows out a breath. “Nope, if you can believe that. All these bloody channels, and I can’t make a decision.” He stops on a channel. “Wait, is this…it is! _Billionaire Questionnaire!_ I haven’t seen this show in years.”

“Who broadcasts it?”

“The Praushnians, I believe.”

The host with his sleek, gold hair and sparkly blue outfit stands in the middle of a circular room. “Which race of peoples is responsible for the attack on Crosheron?” he asks the seven contestants.

The Master sits up. “The Stryzelle!”

A buzzer sounds.

“Ah! You buzzed in, Roil?” the host says.

“Um…is it the Judoon?” the timid man responds.

Another buzzer rings out, followed by the host shaking his head. “I’m afraid that is incorrect, Roil. The correct answer is the Stryzelle.”

“See? What did I tell you! Bloody morons.” The Master throws his hands up, which reminds the Doctor of the burns around his wrists. “You knew that, right?”

The Doctor stands. “I’ll be right back.” He returns moments later with a first aid kit. “Give me your wrists.”

The Master turns so his body is facing him and holds out his wrists. The Doctor sets a cloth down on his lap before gently setting the Master’s wrists down onto the cloth. The Master winces when his sore skin comes into contact with the fabric. He also grows a bit awkward at the fact his hands are so close to the Doctor’s crotch.

“All right, this is going to sting, but we can’t risk you picking up an infection. There are some nasty ones out there.” He opens the bottle of antiseptic and squirts the clear liquid onto the wounds.

The Master grits his teeth, his hands curling into fists at the burning sensation. The Doctor douses the other side of his wrists with the antiseptic before setting the bottle down and gingerly patting the wounds with the cloth. He hates seeing the Master in pain, but at least it’s temporary. 

After getting the wounds dry, the Doctor wraps both of his wrists in gauze. It doesn’t take long for the stinging to get less and less. The Master’s eyes drift up to the Doctor’s face. He studies the spindly Time Lord’s features for a moment. The Doctor has always had a particular charm about him that even he won’t deny, no matter the face or fluxes in temperament.

“There we are,” the Doctor murmurs. “All better.”

The Master checks out his gauze-covered wrists. “Thanks, Doctor.”

“You’re welcome.” 

As he gazes at the Master, he once again finds his eyes on his lips. He also feels the same temptation from earlier. As of this moment, he wants nothing more than to feel those lips against his. The Doctor’s body starts tingling with anxiety over the unknown. It’s very possible to predict what the Master’s reaction would be. 

Throwing caution to the wind, he decides to go for it. He leans in and makes contact. He keeps the act gentle, as he doesn’t want to overwhelm the other man. But oh, do the Master’s lips feel so warm, soft, and right against his. He lets his eyes slide closed in an attempt to savor this long-awaited moment. 

From the Master’s end, he is numb. Well, except for his hearts, which grow warm from the strange sensation. He sits there in shock, his body rigid like a corpse. It isn’t until the contact is severed, and he feels the Doctor’s warmth leave that he is able to function again. He stares at the Doctor in bewilderment.

“Doctor…”

The Doctor rubs the back of his neck awkwardly. That was far from the magical moment he was hoping for, but what did he expect? Especially since there’s still a high probability the romantic feelings aren’t mutual.

“I’m sorry…I’m sorry.”

Once again the Master finds himself at a loss of words. The Doctor had kissed him. _The Doctor_ had _kissed_ him!

“What was that for…?”

Feeling rejected, the Doctor rises from the couch. “We can forget that it happened,” he says lowly.

The Master blinks. “I don’t really know if I will be able to.”

“…it was a mistake.”

“Was it?”

The Doctor sighs. He can’t keep lying to him. “…No.”

The Master gives a slow nod. “Right.”

He really doesn’t know what to say. Hell, he doesn’t know what to feel, either. What he does know is that he’d like to figure out what that all meant, although an idea is dawning on him. 

_Maybe that’s why he’s always treated me the way he does?_

“I’m going to go read,” the Doctor says after a moment.

“I’ll be here.”

The Doctor nods and leaves the room, taking the lingering feeling of awkwardness with him. The Master rubs at his eyes. How is he remaining so calm? Before he would’ve been livid at something like that happening. Perhaps the Doctor was getting revenge on him for something. But the Doctor doesn’t hold grudges.

He lays back down on the couch. He really shouldn’t waste so much energy overthinking the situation. Unable to keep his eyes open much longer, he ends up falling asleep with the TV on.

A few hours later the Master rouses from a somewhat peaceful slumber. He lays there and stares up at the ceiling before yawning and stretching. He feels oddly warm and realizes there’s a blanket draped over him. That definitely wasn’t there before. He throws the blanket off then sits up. He gently rubs at his wrists. The pain has gone down quite a bit.

He hears someone stirring in the kitchen and peers into the adjacent room in time to see Jack fumbling through the fridge. The thought of food causes the Master’s own stomach to growl. He approaches the Nutribase.

“Well, look who’s up.”

It’s all the Master can do to not roll his eyes at the captain. He presses a few buttons on the machine.

“I watched the Doctor tuck you in like a little baby. But don’t worry. That’s all he did to you.”

“What are you talking about?”

“The Doctor is an attractive man, Master.” Jack sets his food under a food warmer and leans against the counter, a smirk on his face. “Even I can’t lie about that.”

The Master sets his jaw, feeling his irritation rising. “I don’t know what you’re playing at. And I don’t really care.” 

“I’m just trying to point out the obvious. I’ve noticed the way he looks at you. And I’ve heard the way he talks about you.”

The Master yanks his food out of the Nutribase so fast his meal almost falls to the floor. “He’s the Doctor, he cares about everybody.” _Especially Earth girls_ , he thinks rather bitterly.

Jack shrugs. “Yeah.” He removes his food from the warmer. “But it seems like he really cares about you for some reason.”

The Master scoffs. “Well, that’s just as much a mystery to me, too.”

He makes his way to the dining room table with Jack on his heels. They sit across from each other.

“I saw the way he was with Rose, you know.”

The Master digs into his food. “That’s great.”

“I mean, he really cared about her too, but, I dunno, he’s just different with you.”

“Is that supposed to make me feel good or something?”

“It’s kinda interesting, that’s all.” He pauses. “Do Gallifreyans mate for life? Like, how does your lovey-dovey stuff work?”

The Master’s eyes narrow. “That’s none of your business.”

“I’m just curious, sheesh.”

“Well, you won’t be getting any answers from me, so you might as well shut up.”

Jack stares at him but doesn’t say another word. Once he’s finished eating, he retreats back into his room. The Master glares at his back. How dare he imply the Doctor might have such feelings for him!

It is at this time the Doctor exits his bedroom. His hair is ruffled even more than usual, his eyes still puffy from sleep. His rumbling stomach is to blame for waking him up. After using the loo, he fetches some food from the kitchen. He then joins the Master, who is now back in the living room watching the telly.

“What do you lot do around here for fun?” the Master says.

The Doctor scoops up a bite of steaming shepherd's pie from his bowl and blows on it. “Are you bored already?”

“A little bit.”

“Well, when Martha wakes up, we can find somewhere nice to go. What do you think?”

It sounds more than all right. This could be the Master’s chance to prove he’s more than just the damsel. However, he won’t get his shot with the others around to steal his limelight.

“This might sound odd, but can it just be…us, maybe?”

The Doctor looks directly at him, his mouth full of food. “Wha' oo yu mean?”

“When we head out next…can we leave Martha and Jackass here?”

As much as the Doctor fancies the idea of heading out alone with him, he can't help but feel a bit hesitant. Once he swallows his food, he says, "I don’t know…I don’t think that would be very fair to them.”

The Master frowns slightly. “It would be unfair to not give them a break. They’ve been out several times lately, haven’t they?”

The Doctor ponders on that. He’s partly surprised at the request, what, with the unreciprocated kiss earlier. Perhaps if they work together on this next outing, the Master might open his hearts further to the Doctor.

“OK. It can just be the two of us.” He smiles.

The Master reflects his smile. The Doctor literally feels his hearts melt. 

It takes another couple hours before Martha wakes up. She’s clearly not too happy about the Doctor excluding her from their next trip. 

“You just want to be alone with him, don’t you?” she lashes out. “You choose him over me and Jack!”

“It’s not a matter of choosing someone over someone else!” the Doctor shoots back. “You lot deserve a break.”

Martha crosses her arms and leans back in her chair. “I miss how it used to be. I liked it when it was just the two of us.”

The Master can’t help but roll his eyes at how pathetic she sounds. He honestly doesn’t know how the Doctor puts up with it.

The Doctor runs a hand through his tousled hair. “Well, I’m sorry, Martha. But things have changed.”

“Whatever. Just drop me off at my mum’s house.”

And that was that. Jack didn’t care as much and disappeared to some undisclosed location. After dropping Martha off, the two Time Lords stand at the controls.

“She took that well,” the Master comments sardonically.

The Doctor stares at the monitor while adjusting a few controls. “I thought she would’ve taken it a bit better than that.”

The Master shakes his head. “She’s an Earth girl. What do you expect? She can’t stand it when things don’t go her way.”

“Not all of them are like that.”

“Just most of them.”

The Doctor ignores that. 

“I hope you don’t expect us to all get along. It’s not going to happen.”

The Doctor sighs quietly. Of course he is aware of that. “You’ll just have to learn to tolerate each other, at least until Martha decides she’s ready to move on.”

“Well, I bet she’s going to hang around as long as she bloody well can.”

The Doctor stands back from the controls. “We’re here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We have contact!...sort of. XD


	8. On Another Adventure Pt. 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ready for another adventure? I'll be uploading this crazy thing in four segments. Allons-y!

“Earth? You sent us to Earth again?!” the Master shouts in disbelief when the duo exits the TARDIS. His sudden outburst causes a few passersby to look at them curiously.

“Shhh, let’s not attract too much attention to ourselves,” the Doctor says.

“But why here?” the Master asks quieter.

The Doctor shrugs. “Why not here?”

“You know I hate Earth.”

“And you know I looove it.”

“I also hate you.”

“Oh, I know you don’t mean that.”

The Master sees where this is going and scowls. He knows there is no way to win an argument with the Doctor if it concerns Earth. “Fine. Just tell me where we are.”

“Roswell, New Mexico in the year 1947 of the month of July,” the Doctor says with a grin. “If my calculations are correct, the Roswell UFO incident occurred just a few days ago.”

They are surrounded by cars and small buildings. Many people are out walking around and disappearing into stores. They must be in the heart of town. Although they are standing in the shade of the buildings, they can feel heat rising from the asphalt due to the intensity of the sun.

The Master wipes at his brow. “It almost feels like we’re back home.”

The Doctor nods slowly. “Some states in America get pretty hot. They have seasons, though, so they get some relief.”

The Time Lords take a few more moments to absorb the sounds, smells, and sights of their new environment before deciding to have a look around. As they walk down the sidewalk, many people smile and nod at them in greeting. The Doctor shoots a friendly nod and smile back, but the Master just scowls at them. He is used to making enemies, not friends.

“It’s OK. A smile won’t kill them,” the Doctor says. “Pretend you are Harold Saxon and flash that gorgeous smile.”

“If I do that, I might kill all of them.”

“That’s not what I meant. If you can’t genuinely be nice, at least you can fake it.”

When the next person nods and smiles, the Master puts on his best fake smile back.

“Top of the morning,” he goes further to add.

The man just gives him a weird look. “It’s late afternoon. Get a watch.”

The Master frowns and intentionally bumps the man’s shoulder when he walks past, only to get a look of disapproval from the Doctor. “What? He was a tosser.”

“That doesn’t mean you need to be one back. Now, I’m going to ask this lady what the time is.” The Doctor approaches a young woman standing outside of a malt shop. “Excuse me, miss, do you know the time?”

The woman giggles. “If I tell ya, then what’s in it for me, handsome?”

The Doctor blinks at how brazen she is but smiles politely anyways. “Never mind, have a good day.” He continues walking and motions for the Master to follow.

“You handled that like a pro,” the Master says with a chuckle.

“That didn’t count…” He spots a man seated outside a café with a newspaper in front of his face. “OK, here we go.” 

He clears his throat and is about to repeat his question when the front headline of the newspaper catches his attention: “RAAF Captures Flying Saucer on Ranch in Roswell Region." The Doctor reads on to discover the details of what had happened to the wrecked UFO and the possible presence of extraterrestrial life. He doesn’t doubt that something alien is at work here, but what species is it is the thing that fascinates him most.

While the Doctor stalkerishly reads off someone’s newspaper, the Master continues on when a little souvenir shop displaying alien-themed paraphernalia grabs his attention. 

They have everything from decorative mugs, to postcards, to ball caps, to rubber, stretchy alien toys. The standard alien image is this green creature with large, glassy eyes and a bulbous head. The Master is stunned by this, to say the least. In all his years of space travel, he has yet to come across a race that looks this…well…simple.

“Hello, sir, do you need help finding anything?” A woman with curled hair and glossy red lips matching her red work apron smiles at him.  
The Master is about to tell her off before remembering what the Doctor said. He flashes a smile.

“Not to worry…uh…” He glances at her name tag. “…Florence. I was just browsing through your supposedly alien items.”

“It’s fascinating stuff, isn’t it? We just got the mugs and toys in today. Who are you shopping for?”

The Master shakes his head. “No one in particular. I’m just passing through on business but couldn’t help but overhear all this talk about a UFO. What’s the deal with that?”

The Master is surprised by how easy this is. And the Doctor gets to do this all the time? When the Master was travelling by himself, he never hesitated to reveal who he was. Faking an identity is taking less work than he thought.

“Haven’t you heard the word? Well, I guess you wouldn’t, if you’re from out of town.” She chuckles. “There was this flying disc that crashed on a farm just outside of town. The farmer living there, his name is Milton, he can be so friendly, but not even the friendliest person would be prepared for that.”

“And this is what you think it is?” The Master grabs a ball cap off of a rack and points at the embroidered alien head.

Florence nods. “Oh, yes. Someone made a sketch of what the recovered bodies look like.”

“Recovered bodies?”

“The RAAF claims they found alien bodies among the wreckage and rumor has it that the government wants autopsies to be performed on them,” Florence says with a hushed tone.

“I’m sure there’s nothing unique about their anatomy,” the Master says. “Not if they look like this.” He sets the cap down and picks up one of the floppy “alien-shaped” toys.

Florence gives the Master a look of confusion. “This is something we’ve never seen before! If there are bodies, then they should do an autopsy so we can learn more about them.”

“Why not trace their whereabouts and talk to their leader? You know, as in, take me to your leader?” The Master almost laughs because he had heard that in a ridiculous Earth movie once.

Florence doesn’t crack so much as a smile. “Don’t you understand that we may have found evidence of extraterrestrial life? We might not be alone after all!”

Their conversation is starting to attract attention, and the Master glares around at everyone as a warning to back off. If it’s one thing, he won’t tolerate a gawking crowd, especially with him being an alien himself.

“Ah, there you are, John!” Make that two aliens now. The Doctor walks over to them and pats the Master on the shoulder. “I was getting worried.”

“John? Where did — ”

“I was looking everywhere for you. You disappeared on me.”

The Master slowly catches on and turns to Florence with a fake smile. “Florence, this is my…coworker. His name is…er…”

“David Smith.” The Doctor shakes her hand. “Nice to meet you, Florence!” He winks at the Master, who can’t help but shake his head.

Florence smiles warmly while shaking his hand. “The pleasure is all mine, David. I was just explaining the alien situation to John.”

“Splendid,” the Doctor says and starts looking at the collection. He picks up one of the toys and makes a face at the texture before stretching it. “Funny how they think we look like this, isn’t it?” he murmurs.

The Master nods with a grin. “They haven’t a clue.” 

“Do you know anything about the aliens, David?” Florence asks.

The Doctor puts the toy back. “Nope! Not a thing.”

“Well, I’ve got to be back up front, but I’m sure John wouldn’t mind sharing what I told him. It’s a fascinating story.” She smiles.

“Can’t wait to hear it!”

The Master laughs lowly. “She has no idea who we are.”

“It’s fun getting into character, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, how am I doing?”

“You’re doing great. Keep it up.” He sees Florence looking over at them and resumes his role. “Right, John, tell me about these ‘aliens’.”

“Why, of course, David. I thought you’d never ask.” He almost breaks character with a laugh but forces it back. “There was a spaceship that crashed onto some farmer named Milton’s property. The AAF or whatever found alien corpses in the ship and sent them off for autopsies.”

The Doctor discreetly gives him a thumbs-up. 

“Wow, that sounds ridiculous. I don’t know if I believe it,” the Doctor says.

“Yeah, it is pretty bizarre, but if people are saying it happened, then it must be true.”

Right then, a middle-aged man with a neatly groomed moustache and hair walks into the store. He kisses Florence on the cheek before setting his hands on her shoulders to massage them. 

“Are you going on break anytime soon? I’ve been sitting at the café for 15 minutes, and I need to get back to the office.”

Florence relaxes beneath his touch and rolls her head back like a rag doll, her curls rolling down her back. “You’re the mayor, darling. You can make your own hours.”

“Yes, but I have an important meeting to attend.”

The Doctor purses his lips. “That’s the town mayor, eh?”

The Master grimaces. “Ew, human love.”

“Ohhh, come on, now. How is that different from any other love? And, if I remember correctly, you were married to an Earth girl.”

The Master scoffs. “Please, Doctor, the only thing that dreadful woman did was boost my political image.”

“That’s all right,” the Doctor states. “You could do better than her, anyways.”

“Look who’s talking,” the Master jeers. “I know you can too.”

They both feel the presence of unspoken tension as they look at each other. It isn’t until Florence approaches them that the tension is shattered.

“I briefly told my husband Thomas about you two, and, if you don’t have to be on your way yet, I would like to invite you to dinner at our home tonight.”

The Doctor doesn’t think and just nods. “That sounds fantastic. We will be there.”

Florence grins eagerly. “How nifty! Here is our address. See you both at 7:30.” She hands the Master a slip of paper before spinning on her red high heels and walking back over to the cash register where Thomas is.

The Master slides the paper into his pocket. “What are we going to do until 7:30?”

“I think we should check out the crash site,” the Doctor says lowly. “See if we can spot anything out of the ordinary. Then we can pop back into the TARDIS to get ready for the dinner. How does that sound?”

“Sounds fine. I don’t exactly have anything fancy to dress up in, though.”

“Ah, no worries, we’ll get you polished up!” The Doctor winks then approaches the counter. “Say, you lot wouldn’t know how to get to the UFO crash site, would you?”

The couple exchange glances. Florence smiles politely. “Yes, we — ”

“That site is government property now,” Thomas interrupts. “Trespassing is outlawed.”

“Oh, Thomas, they’re from out of town, I think it’s OK for them to — ”

“We don’t need that ranch turning into a damn tourist destination,” Thomas says gruffly. “As soon as word spread, we have had nonstop tourists breezing through here.”

“What’s wrong with that?” the Doctor says, rocking on his heels. “I’ve heard that tourist spots are good for businesses. Probably wouldn’t hurt a small town like yours.”

Thomas studies him for a moment. “I suppose you’re right. There’s a bus stop located at the end of the sidewalk. Ask them to take you to Willbruch Lane and that will get you to the ranch.” He clears his throat. “Just don’t tell anyone I let you out there. I’ve got a name to uphold.”

“Willbruch Lane. Got it! Thank you.” He motions for the Master to follow him. 

The Master quickly puts the now-broken toy he got to messing with back in its bin. He had accidentally ripped the rubbery alien’s head off by stretching it too far and follows the Doctor out as if nothing happened.

Florence watches them before turning to her husband. “I really hope you are nicer to them at dinner tonight.”

“I don’t like them,” Thomas says through narrowed eyes. “I have a weird feeling about them.”

“What could be wrong? They’re just a couple of foreigners.”

Thomas keeps his eyes narrowed. “I’ll see you after my meeting.” He kisses Florence once more before heading out of the store.

**D/M/D/M/D/M/D/M/D/M**

The walk to the bus stop is a short one. At the end of the sidewalk is an open dirt lot accompanied by the bus stop sign and five wooden benches placed side-by-side. They occupy the only empty bench. A newspaper stand is within an arms-length away, and the Doctor grabs one.

“Might want to have one of these for reference.”

The Master peers down at the paper. “Flying saucer, huh? Well, that could be anything.”

The Doctor nods. “It will be hard to narrow down what ship it was unless we see actual fragments.”

“If there’s any of it left by the time we get there.”

“Right.”

“I still don’t think they look like these green, big-headed things.”

“Who knows? It could be a species of little, green men we haven’t discovered. Humans will keep thinking that’s what they are for years.”

“That’s funny.”

“Well, to them it’s not. This is a turning point in their history. Up until this point in time, there have only been possible sightings.”

“Are we sure it’s from another planet, though? Humans are crazy enough to fake stuff like this.”

“That’s why we need to investigate.”

The bus pulls up, and the driver opens the door. “All aboard, everybody!”

The Doctor tucks the newspaper inside his jacket pocket, and the two Time Lords get in line. When they step on board the bus, he pays the fair, and they sit behind the driver’s seat. The driver is a plump man with noticeable pit stains who appears to be in his mid-thirties. His rosy face lights up with a smile as he looks around at everyone once they get settled.

“Welcome aboard the Roswell Bus Transport! My name is George, and I will be your driver today. Our stops are Rothsfield Square, Cristoria Avenue, Willbruch Lane, and then Mable Shopping Centre. If you need the vehicle to come to a stop for any reason, just gimme a shout-out. Let’s have a safe and enjoyable ride!”

“Enjoyable…right. More like formidable,” the Master mutters with a look of disgust on his face.

The Doctor can also smell George, especially since they are seated right behind him. “Unfortunately, this is right before vehicles had air conditioning.”

When the bus takes off, the wind coming in from the open windows pushes the stench back stronger.

“I knew humans smelled bad, but nothing is worse than a fat, sweaty one,” the Master says.

“At least our stop isn’t the last one. We can do this,” the Doctor says.

George glances back at them in the rear view mirror. “How are you two doing today?”

“We’re doing fine, thank you,” the Doctor says. “How about yourself?”

George looks at the Doctor in amusement. “Wow, I love your accent! Where’re you from?”

The Doctor puts on a polite smile. “London.”

The Master rolls his eyes and rests his head against the window while listening.

“What brings you to a hick town like this?”

“My partner and I are fairly interested in all of this flying saucer talk.”

“Ah, I should have known. Everybody is showing up to be a part of the hubbub.” George chuckles. “I’m telling ya, this event is going to go down in history.”

“No kidding,” the Master mumbles.

“We definitely believe so as well,” the Doctor says with a nod.

“Well, if you’re going to be checking out the wreckage site, you’re only allowed outside the fence. You can’t actually go into the ranch. It’s a legal mess in there.”

The Doctor nods in understanding. “So, George, what do you think about all this alien business?”

“Well, to be honest, I don’t really have an opinion. I’m not blowing my wig over it, but the idea of life beyond Earth visiting us is just kippy.”

“Kippy?” the Master repeats.

“We think so too.” The Doctor just goes with it.

“Hang on a second,” George says as the bus comes to stop. “OK, folks, we have arrived at Rothsfield Square!”

Only seven of the 20 people on board get up and exit the bus. A few more people board from this stop and take their seats. George waits until everybody is seated before continuing down the road.

“If it really is aliens, I don’t get why they are choosing now to show themselves,” George continues. “I mean, if they’ve been wandering around for God knows how long, why is now the time?” 

“Maybe they have been too afraid to venture out,” the Doctor suggests.

“Or maybe they have been here the whole time but you guys are now noticing their presence,” the Master states.

George blinks. “I have never thought about that before…”

The Doctor doesn’t want George’s mind to run too wild. “It could also be the work of the government.”

“Oh, don’t even get me started on Truman. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was behind all of this,” George says angrily. He grips the steering wheel tightly, and his face turns redder than before until he exhales. “Keep it calm, George. You’re driving a 15,000 pound bus. You need to get these people to their destination.”

“He better not get us killed,” the Master mutters and turns his attention back out the window.

He stares out at the passing dirt, buildings, and more dirt. The scenery is quite dull for his taste, and he quickly finds himself getting bored. His eyelids start drooping and before he knows it, he’s out like a light while the Doctor and George continue talking about random things.

“So, you got yourself a girl?” George asks.

The Doctor quickly shakes his head. “No, no, I haven’t…um…met the right person yet.”

“Not yet? Really? Wow, you are a rare bird. Everybody I know is getting married left and right, especially now that the war is over. It’s the thing to do.”

“I don’t have the time. I travel internationally for business.”

“I see. Well, only you know when the timing is right.” George smiles.

The Doctor nods slowly. As much as he loves doing what he does, part of him can’t help but wonder what it would be like to settle down. Marriage on Gallifrey wasn’t that big of an occasion compared to how the humans go about it. The differences fascinate him.

The Doctor suddenly feels warmth all along his side. He glances down and sees the Master leaning against him with his head on his shoulder. The motion of the bus must have knocked him into such a position. The Doctor smiles and wraps an arm around the Master’s waist to hold him in place. The Master subconsciously draws closer to him, which makes it look like he’s nuzzling him. Just by looking at him now, you wouldn’t suspect he is one of the most feared beings in the universe.

The Master’s slumber gets interrupted by the Doctor shaking him. He slowly pulls himself away from the other Time Lord and yawns.

“What happened?”

“We’re here.”

The bus is pulled over outside the fenced ranch. George is giving them an odd look.

“You two all right?”

The Doctor knows exactly what the man is thinking and is fully aware of the Earthly time period they’re in. He knows how their, ahem, _closeness_ must’ve looked to everyone. But he keeps it casual and grins.

“All is well! Thanks for getting us here.”

They exit the bus, and the Master inhales deeply. “Ah, the air never smelled sweeter! Even though it smells like cow dung.”

People are rushing about excitedly with their cameras out. Some are flocking over to the white picket fence surrounding the ranch. The Doctor watches them.

“Looks like that’s where we need to go.” He points down the road.

The Master peers over at the farmland. “Brilliant logic, Doctor. Go where the humans go.”

“I think it’s safe to trust them on this one. Let’s go.” 

When the Time Lords reach the fence, which is littered with no trespassing signs, they are quick to find a large crater in the dirt. Leading away from the crater is a series of skid marks, indicating that the saucer crashed down and skidded a few feet from the impact. 

The Doctor’s eyes light up in wonder. “This is definitely the spot.”

“I think he knows it, too.” The Master is pointing at an elderly man sitting on the porch in a rocking chair. He is staring out at everyone from beneath his straw hat and has a shotgun resting on his lap. “That must be Milton. How are we supposed to investigate with him there?”

The Doctor shrugs. “Simple: We try to negotiate with him.”

The Master’s eyes widen slightly. “Just so you know, I don’t really fancy the idea of getting shot again. It doesn’t feel too good.”

“Then I’ll go. You stay here.” He turns towards the fence and gets prepared to hop over it.

The Master grabs his sleeve. “No, you aren’t. You know what a shotgun is, right? That will rip you open!”

The Doctor tries freeing himself from the grip. “I’ll just regenerate if that happens.”

“Just regenerate? Don’t be stupid, Doctor. You’re acting like regeneration isn’t a big deal.”

“It wasn’t to you when you refused to do it.”

The Master gulps. The Doctor got him there. Although the Doctor feels deeply touched that the Master actually cares about his well-being, they didn’t come all this way for nothing.

“I guess we better hope he’s a bad shot,” the Doctor adds.

The Master looks at him almost pleadingly (unless the Doctor imagined it) before releasing him. 

The Doctor carefully climbs over the fence. The farmer slowly rises from his chair with his gun. Murmurs of shock ripple through the group. The Master watches on fearfully. 

The Doctor raises his arms up in a declaration of innocence. He is beyond nervous but stays standing tall in the face of danger and keeps walking with his arms up.

“What do you want?” Milton demands after a tense silence. He isn’t holding the gun in position, but he does have it menacingly by his side.

“Good afternoon, Milton. I'm here to examine the crash site.”

“The wreckage got taken by the RAAF, so you won’t find anything here.”

“I’m just here to make sure nothing got left behind.” He digs into his coat and pulls out the psychic paper. “David Smith, paranormal investigator.”

Milton steps closer and eyes the paper. “Huh, well, nobody told me you were coming. Then again, nobody tells me anything anymore. I’ve had herds of people showing up on my property without permission.”

The Doctor puts the paper away and slowly lowers his other arm. “I’m here with my partner, John, if that’s all right.”

He motions at the Master to come join him. Figuring it must be OK, the Master slowly climbs the fence. Milton watches him like a hawk, his gun still glued to his side. The Master stands next to the Doctor, his body tense, his eyes on the gun.

“Anyone else I should know about?” Milton asks.

“No, it’s just the two of us,” the Doctor says.

Milton hums in response.

“Before we begin our search, can you explain to us what happened?”

Milton sighs out of exasperation. No doubt he has told this story many times already. “This just happened a few days ago, as you know. It was morning, and I was doing my regular routine of feeding the animals. Then, all of a sudden, this large metal disc comes flying out of nowhere.” He walks over to the crater and points at it. “It did a nose-dive and came crashing down right here. Boy, it was fast. It came all the way over here before stopping.” He walks about ten feet away from the crater.

The Doctor nods along with what he is saying and follows him to the end of the skid trail. “It was travelling at an impressive velocity and had substantial mass to carry it this far.”

“It did what and had what? I never went to school, boy.”

While the Doctor gets working on speaking to him in simpler terms, the Master starts examining the crater. He mentally measures the circumference before something shiny catches his eye. He pulls it out of the dirt, wipes it off on his pant leg, then holds it to his mouth, giving it a tiny lick. 

He ponders on the taste for a moment before licking the smooth, shiny surface a couple more times. He concludes the fragment contains three major chemicals and traces of several smaller ones. The Master taps the Doctor on the shoulder.

“Look what I found.” He holds out the fragment. “The ship was made of beryllium and uranium, but I can’t place the third one.”

Milton cranes his neck in misunderstanding. “You people really need to start speaking in English.” 

“Splendid work, John!” The Doctor grins and takes the fragment. He smells it before sticking out his tongue and giving it a lick.

Milton stares at the Doctor like he’s not from Earth, which he isn’t, but he doesn’t know that. “What the hell are you doing that for? That was in the dirt!”

“Chemical analysis,” the Doctor replies. He stares at the fragment with his brows knitted together. “There’s Kreladarlium in this. That’s the third element.”

“Krelawatsahoozit?” Milton says.

“Kreladarlium…isn’t that from Rivettora?” the Master asks.

The Doctor nods slowly. “They are the only planet that has a natural supply of it, and they’re the only ones who can access it.”

“I didn’t know Rivettora was the only one that had it. I’ve heard of some people trying to replicate Kreladarlium’s atomic structure by fusing a bunch of elements together.”

“This is the real deal. We would be able to tell if it was synthetic. Oh, this is just fascinating!”

Milton looks back and forth at them. “Can somebody please tell me what the hell is going on?”

The Doctor slides the fragment into his pocket for safekeeping and turns back to the muddled farmer. “We’re getting close to discovering something, but we aren’t allowed to say what. We thank you for letting us onto your property. We’re done with our analysis.”

“Huh? That’s it? Don’t you need a bunch of tools ‘n such?”

“Nope, that's it!” the Doctor exclaims. “Oh, and do you have the time?”

Milton glances at his watch. “It’s about 6:30. You got other properties to investigate?”

The Master nods. “Yeah, but there’s no way we are gonna make it to our next appointment by 7:30.”

“I can give ya’ll a ride to where you need to go,” Milton offers. “That will get you there in half the time.”

The Doctor smiles at him gratefully. “If you could, that would be the bee’s knees!”


	9. On Another Adventure Pt. 2

It takes the group about 25 minutes to reach town in Milton’s 1940 Plymouth and another few to reach the TARDIS. The Doctor had him drop them off a few blocks down from her location as to not raise suspicion.

The quiet that came from Jack and Martha’s absence was a nice change for the Master. It was also nice for the Doctor. Their absence saved him the pestering questions of why he’s leading the Master to his bedroom, where access is forbidden.

The Doctor closes his bedroom door. “Since we are dealing with a mayor, we need to look as presentable as possible.”

“So, in other words, we need to dress up all fancy.” 

“Right.” 

The Doctor walks into his closet, where he gets swallowed up by several articles of clothing from various time periods on various planets.

“What we are looking for in 1940s America is a pair of nice, black suits.”

The Master sits on the edge of his bed. “Hopefully I won’t die in one again.”

The Doctor chews his lip as unwanted memories of that dreadful day come flooding back. He pulls out a dapper suit and examines it before tossing it over to the Master.

“It might be a little big on you, but it should do.”

The Master studies it before shrugging. “Looks good enough to me.” He gets up and stands in a corner of the room. “I’m getting changed over here. No peeping.”

The Doctor pulls another suit off the same rack. “Why would I do that?”

“To annoy me.”

“Is that so?”

“You know it to be so, Doctor.”

“I respect privacy…even yours.”

“But you don’t respect space.”

“I’m a Time Lord; I love space!”

“No, you git. I mean, it feels like you’re always just right there.”

“Well, where else do you expect me to be?”

“Not so close to me, maybe?”

The Doctor can’t stop a sudden thought that strikes his mind. From what he has observed on Earth, they are sounding like a married couple. He has seen humans quarrel over pointless things many times. It brings a chuckle to his throat.

“What’s so funny?”

“Nothing, Master.”

“You’re laughing. Are you peeping at me?”

“Nah, I already told you I wouldn’t do that.”

The Master snorts while zipping up his slacks. “Right.”

After changing in the closet, the Doctor steps out to see the Master standing in front of the wall mirror. The sight makes him a bit weak in the knees. He had almost forgotten how dashing the Master looks in a suit.

The Master turns to him. “Well? What do you think?”

“I…I think you look…”

“Striking?” The Master flashes him a charming grin before looking the slender Time Lord up and down. “You look nice.” Since he normally isn’t one to give out compliments, he turns back to the mirror timidly.

The Doctor smiles as a light blush rises to his cheeks. “I think that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”

“Don’t rub it in.”

“What? I’m just stating the obvious.”

“You do that too much.”

“There you go again.”

“What did I do now?”

“You’re getting defensive. That’s what _you_ do too much.”

This prompts the Master to turn back towards him. “I just paid you a compliment, Doctor — a serious compliment. You realize how hard that was?”

The Doctor’s smile widens at his words. First the consolation on Xenorexafarliah, then the expression of concern at the wreck site, and now a compliment? The Master is changing for sure, and the Doctor is absolutely thrilled.

“I have the perfect finishing touch for our looks.” He bounces back into the closet then returns with two black ribbons. “Bow ties.”

The Master quirks a brow. “Hm, I always took you for more of a tie guy. I know I am.”

“I am. But bow ties are kinda cool, and they are very fashionable in this era. I will help you with yours.”

The Master shrugs as the Doctor steps towards him and drapes one of the ribbons around his neck. He watches the Doctor’s hands tie it all together through the mirror.

“There we are.” The Doctor steps back to observe his work. “How does it feel? Not too tight, I hope?”

“It’s fine, Doctor,” the Master replies. He takes the other ribbon and gently sets it around the Doctor’s neck. “Er, I’ve never actually done this before, so don’t be surprised if it’s horrible.” 

He feels the Doctor’s eyes on him and that causes him to feel more self-conscious. He reflects on how the Doctor tied his and tries his best to copy it.

“I hope that’s up to your standard.”

The bow tie is a little crooked. An easy adjustment. The Doctor straightens it out. “Not bad for your first try.”

The Master waves his hand. “It was nothing.” 

They meet each other’s eyes briefly until the Master says,

“We should probably get going now. Don’t want to be late.”

The Doctor nods. “Right. Yes.” He clears his throat, willing his racing hearts to settle down. “Do you still have their address?”

The Master digs into the pocket of his jeans. “Got it.”

Upon leaving the TARDIS, the two catch a cab.

“Where you guys off to?” the driver asks.

The Master glances down at the paper. “1826 Benford Circle.”

“You’re goin’ to the mayor’s house?”

“His wife invited us to dinner,” the Doctor says.

“Ahhh, you are a couple of lucky fellas. That Mrs. Florence Hall is a looker, ain’t she?”

The Time Lords exchange glances.

“Yeah…very nice,” the Master says.

“…she had such a lovely dress on,” the Doctor adds.

“She’s got many of ‘em.” He grins.

The Doctor and the Master don’t know what to say to that. Moments later, they arrive at an elegant, two-story home surrounded by a pristine yard. The neighboring homes are rather nice as well, but this one is the most impressive.

“Your palace awaits!” the driver says. 

“What do we owe you?” the Doctor asks.

“That’ll be two dollars and seventy-five cents.” The driver holds out his hand.

The Doctor digs into his suit jacket and hands him three dollars. The driver gives him a quarter back before grinning. 

“Knock ‘em dead, fellas!”

“I swear, every human we meet gets stranger and stranger,” the Master says as they approach the grand wooden door.

The Doctor chuckles and rings the doorbell. A man dressed up as a butler opens the door. He gazes at them expectantly.

“David and John, dinner guests?”

The Doctor grins. “That’s us!”

The butler steps aside to let them in. “Mr. and Mrs. Hall, your guests have arrived!”

“Splendid!” Florence comes running down the stairs. She is dolled-up from head-to-toe, and her dark, shiny lips are formed into a grin. “Honey, David and John are here!”

“It’s about time,” Thomas says from upstairs. “They are late.”

“Oh, only by ten minutes,” Florence says. She turns to them. “It’s no big deal. You must have spent hours to get looking that spiffy anyways!” She giggles.

The Doctor and the Master follow her through the enormous, wallpaper-covered living room and into the kitchen, where their noses are bombarded with the smells of fresh food. It causes the Doctor’s stomach to growl, reminding him it’s been a while since he’s last eaten.

Six places are set at the dining room table, each with a plate, glass, and different styles of silverware. The butler is setting bowl after bowl of hot food down in the middle of the table. The Master knows to be cautious of Earth food but still eyes every bowl. He’s quick to set his sights on the roast turkey.

“This is a lovely home you have, Florence,” the Doctor says. He nods as the butler pulls out his seat for him.

“Oh, thank you! I did all the decorating myself. Our staff is helping it stay this nice, since my job keeps me away in the afternoons.”

“Well, you lot are doing something right.”

Florence giggles.

“This food looks quite exceptional and smells wonderful,” the Master says, figuring it’s his turn to lay on the charm.

“Thank you much! I helped prepare a couple of the dishes, but William our butler did most of it.”

William bows as if he had received an applause before setting the last dish on the table. “The green beans are done, miss. How does everything look?”

Florence surveys everything then nods. “It looks perfect, William. Thank you.” She walks over to the bottom of the stairs. “Dinner is ready!”

Moments later, Thomas strolls into the kitchen. The Doctor literally feels the shift in energy. The mayor doesn’t even acknowledge the guests and stands behind his chair expectantly.

“William, get my chair for me.”

“Just a moment, sir, I’m making a sauce to go with the — ”

“Now, William!”

William sets down his whisk and pulls out Thomas’s chair. Thomas exhales while sitting down.

A girl who looks to be about 11 is the next person to enter the kitchen. She keeps her gaze low and quietly walks around to her spot. Her blue eyes widen slightly when she notices the Doctor and the Master standing there.

“Daddy, who are they?” She points at them.

“Those are our dinner guests, Sandra,” Thomas replies. “Your mother met them today and was nice to invite them over.”

Sandra eyes them before clapping her hands together twice. “William, I would like a glass of milk, please.”

“Yes, Miss Sandra.” William sets the finished sauce down on the table before getting the container of milk out of the fridge.

While Sandra is getting her beverage needs met, a boy who looks to be about seven walks in. The Doctor can’t help but smile at how adorable he looks dressed up in his little tuxedo. William pours some milk for the boy and pulls out his seat for him.

“This smells swell!” He licks his lips and reaches out for one of the corn muffins.

“It’s not polite to take food before the prayer, Robert,” Florence says lowly.

Robert retracts his hand and stares at the Time Lords as his family joins hands for the prayer.

“Who are you?”

“Quiet, snotface, we are going to pray,” Sandra says.

“Don’t talk to your brother like that, Sandra,” Florence says. “We will introduce the guests after the prayer.”

“Are we giving thanks to the Lord or not?” Thomas asks harshly. He reaches out and grabs the Doctor’s hand firmly.

The Doctor plays along with the knowledge of respecting Earth customs and grabs the Master’s hand. The Master reluctantly holds his and Florence’s hands. William stops whatever he is doing and folds his hands, bows his head, and closes his eyes. Thomas looks around at everyone before closing his eyes.

“Dear Lord, we come before you today to bless this dinner that my wonderful wife and butler have prepared for us. We thank you for all that you have done for us and that this food will nourish our bodies. I say these things in Your name. Amen.”

A chorus of amens sound around the table, followed by the release of hands. The Doctor slowly releases the Master’s hand before dishing up food. William walks around the table and pours a glass of red wine for the adults.

“Wine?” he asks the Time Lords.

They shake their heads in unison. Gallifreyans themselves weren’t big on alcoholic beverages, but ever since the Master had gotten drunk off an absinthe five times stronger than that of Earth’s, he vowed to never touch the stuff again. He shudders to remember how awful that hangover was. The Doctor, on the other hand, simply doesn’t like the taste. He tried different alcoholic beverages on odd planets when he was young in his travels and found they all taste repulsive. 

“I will have tea if you have any,” the Doctor says.

“I’ll just take some iced water with a lemon wedge,” the Master says.

“How posh,” the Doctor says with a smirk.

William nods and leaves to process their requests. Florence takes a sip of wine before clanging her fork against the glass to get everyone’s attention.

“David and John are our dinner guests for tonight,” she says. “Gentlemen, these are my beautiful children, Sandra and Robert.”

Robert waves at them from across the table while Sandra doesn’t really acknowledge them. The Doctor and the Master wave back at Robert.

Florence smiles. “Since they are guests, they will be treated with respect. That means — ”

“Where is your place of employment?” Thomas interrupts while digging into his food.

Florence’s mouth hangs open before she closes it.

“We are freelance writers based out of London,” the Doctor says after a moment.

“What the hell does that mean?” Thomas asks gruffly in between chews.

“No swearing at the table,” Florence says.

William returns with the Time Lords' beverages. They nod their thanks at him. 

The Master takes a sip from his glass. “Well, it means that we travel and write reports based on what’s going on in different areas."

“That’s all you do to stay alive? And how much does that pay?”

“The pay varies depending on where we go and how much we write,” the Doctor says casually, taking a drink from his teacup. He isn’t going to let Thomas accomplish his obvious goal of humiliation.

“The moment our company heard about the saucer, we got here as soon as we could to report on it,” the Master says.

Sandra looks up from her plate. “Everybody at school has been talking about that. I think it’s a load of baloney.” 

“Of course it’s baloney, dear,” Thomas says. “Those high hats in the government think they are so clever by orchestrating this little stunt on us.” He takes a drink of wine.

“What if it’s something from outside space, Daddy?” Robert asks. “That would be sweet!”

Florence nods. “I agree. How swell would that be if we finally get contact with extraterrestrial life?”

“That’s bull,” Thomas says. “There is no way anything lives beyond Earth.”

“Yeah, my teacher says we haven’t found any evidence,” Sandra says.

“But we did,” the Doctor speaks up. He pulls out the metallic fragment from his pocket and holds it around for the stunned family to observe. “We found this at the crash site.”

Florence sets her fork down. “Can I see that?”

The Doctor hands it to her.

“Take it back. That doesn’t belong to you,” Thomas says.

“You’re crazy if you think we’re just going to toss it back into the dirt,” the Master says.

Thomas’s eyes flash. “You found that on government property. That doesn’t belong to you.”

“You better do what he says,” Sandra says lowly.

“Now, hold on, everyone,” Florence says. She hands the fragment back to the Doctor. “We aren’t sending our guests anywhere. They found it, so let them keep it!”

“Yeah!” Robert shouts before giggling and shoveling his face with mashed potatoes.

Thomas and Sandra exchange glances. Thomas wipes his mouth with a napkin before slowly rising from his seat. 

“I’m going to speak to Sandra privately for a moment.” 

The Doctor watches them leave. “Are they all right?”

Florence sighs. “I think so. I apologize for how this dinner turned out. I had a feeling that Thomas would ruin it. He’s always like this.”

“Any idea why?” the Master asks.

“His job? Don’t get me wrong, he’s an excellent mayor, but he’s a poor socializer. It doesn’t make much sense. You’d think he would love people since he wants what’s best for everyone, but he gets so irritated with them.”

“Unless he became mayor to please something other than the people,” the Doctor says with a faraway look in his eyes. “He might not even care about the people at all.”

“How can you say that?” Florence asks. “I know he acts cold, but it’s obvious he cares about the town. He was born and raised here.”

The Doctor wipes at his mouth and rises from his seat. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to use the restroom. I’ll be right back.” 

He exits the kitchen and walks through the living room to get to the bathroom. He spots Thomas and Sandra seated on the couch with their backs toward him. He quietly slips into the bathroom and doesn’t close the door all the way so that he can listen to their conversation.

“It doesn’t make sense,” Sandra is saying. “They said they cleaned up all of the wreck.”

“Apparently they didn't."

“I just feel so strange, Daddy…do you feel it, too? When I look at them, I get this odd feeling.”

Thomas snorts. “Of course I do. I knew something was up with them the moment I saw them.”

Sandra sighs. “The Superior is going to be so disappointed to hear this.”

“The Superior?” the Doctor mouths to himself.

“Do not fret, dear daughter. They will find a way to get rid of them. But in the meantime, have you been keeping up on your sketches? We have a meeting to attend with the council.”

Sandra nods. “Yes, sir. I completed two of them last night.”

“That’s a good girl. My little artist is paying her dues,” Thomas says.

As he listens, the Doctor’s mind starts painting a picture of what’s going on. After a few moments, he quietly slips back into the kitchen.

“Feeling better?” the Master asks cheekily.

The Doctor nods. “Oh, you have no idea.” He sits back down next to him.

“Are they coming back in? Their supper is getting cold,” Florence says. She picks up a couple dishes and hands them off to William.

“I’m sure they will in a moment,” the Doctor says before turning to the Master and lowers his voice. “I think I know what’s been going on.”

The Master lifts his brows. “Yeah? Do tell?”

“Later.”

At that moment, Thomas and Sandra reenter the room. Sandra now has a backpack on. The Doctor is quick to notice this.

“We’re off to the country club,” Thomas announces. “Keep our food warm for us, will you, William?”

William nods and picks up their unfinished plates.

Florence gapes. “In the middle of supper?”

William gives a curt nod. “It’s father-daughter night tonight.”

Florence blinks. “But it’s not Wednesday.”

“Well, they changed the date and time for this week.”

“All right, well, I would’ve appreciated more of a notice.”

“Of course, darling, it won’t happen again.” Thomas gives her a quick peck on the cheek. “You have your drawings, Sandra?”

Sandra nods. “Yes, Daddy.”

After exchanging goodbyes, Thomas and Sandra exit out the front door. Florence heaves a sigh before putting on a smile at the Time Lords.

“I’m sorry that supper basically fell apart.”

The Doctor shakes his head. “It’s not your fault. Do they go to this country club every week?”

“Yes, Sandra loves showing off her latest drawings there. She’s quite talented.”

“What does she usually draw?”

“I’m actually not sure. I’ve wanted to see them many times, of course, but she’s very protective of them. I’ve just heard from Thomas that she’s a wonderful artist.”

“A young artist that doesn’t even show her own mum her work.” He sniffs. “Interesting.”

Florence messes with the peas on her plate. “I suppose so.”

“Right!” The Doctor rises from the table. “We best be going as well. Thank you for having us over, Miss Florence. The food was delicious.”

The Master also stands. “Yes, right, that it was.”

Florence smiles. “I’m glad the evening wasn’t a total disaster. Thank you for coming, it was nice getting to know you both.”

**D/M/D/M/D/M/D/M/D/M**

“All right, Doctor, what’s with the interest in a young Earth girl’s drawings? You know bloody well she’s no Picasso,” the Master says.

They are standing outside the house after having just rang for a taxi.

“I have a hunch she’s using her drawings as a form of communication,” the Doctor responds. 

“Communication?”

“We’re dealing with the Jauspouri — the race that only communicates telepathically.”

The Master slowly nods. “Well, that explains the Kreladarlium.” He pauses. “But what are they doing messing with a couple of humans?”

“Why did you mess with humans?”

“Because they’re unintelligent so taking over their planet would be easy?”

The Doctor nods. “That could be what they’re thinking too.”

“Well, where do we go from here?”

The taxi drops them off in front of the country club, a shoddy-looking building with a lack of vehicles and life. Although the Roswell Country Club sign is lit up, none of the windows are.

The Master gives a low whistle. “The driver was right to give us that look for coming here.”

“This doesn’t look like father-daughter night to me,” the Doctor adds. “Let’s have a quick look around.”

The lack of window coverings gives the Time Lords a glimpse inside. The interior looks dated with some of the tacky flower wallpaper peeling off. The furniture consists of two old couches and three recliner chairs. 

“Doesn’t seem strange right away,” the Master says. “It’s just nasty.”

“Let’s take a look inside,” the Doctor says.

“I knew you were going to say that.”

The Doctor grips the doorknob. The door doesn’t open. He pulls out his screwdriver.

“What do you think you’re doing?” the Master asks.

“Oh, you mean you didn’t know I was going to do this?” He grins back at the Master only to discover he also has his screwdriver out.

“No, I was going to tell you to step aside. I’ve got this.”

The Doctor obeys, and the Master sets his screwdriver on the doorknob before activating it. The device buzzes for a few seconds until the door clicks open.

The Master's face brightens. “I still got it.” He slides the screwdriver back into his suit pocket.

“Impressive…for a smaller, older screwdriver.”

“Oi, what are you implying?”

The Doctor smirks as they walk through the door. They both pull a face at the stale air.

“Cigarette smoke and mildew…lovely Earth combination,” the Master says.

The Doctor curiously approaches the pictures of the club members throughout the years hanging on the far wall. He learns the club was established in 1910 and only consisted of five men before increasing in size. The club had the highest attendance in 1932, with a record of 23 men posing in the photograph. He goes through all the years until he reaches 1947, which is an empty frame.

The Master stands next to him. “What’s all this?”

“Photographs of the club members. It starts at 1910 and goes until 1946.”

The Master examines the photos before pointing at the one from 1935. “That looks like Thomas, doesn’t it?” He points at the photo from 1936. “And in that one, too. Oh, and in the next year…and the next year.”

The Doctor slides on his glasses and studies the man. “That is him. Well, now that we know he’s a member, that means he’s familiar with this building and how the club runs.”

“Shouldn’t he be here, then?”

The Doctor slowly takes off his glasses and tucks them back inside his jacket. “Unless there’s a secret room somewhere…”

“Halt! Police!” a voice bellows from behind them. 

A light also appears on their backs. The Time Lords immediately turn around and raise their arms. They squint when the officer shines the torch in their faces. 

“You are trespassing on private property.”

“Actually, we are members of this club,” the Doctor says. “We had some unfinished business to attend to.” He slowly reaches inside his jacket and pulls out the psychic paper, tossing it to the officer.

The officer raises a bushy eyebrow while examining the paper. “What the hell is this?” He tosses it back to him. “Nice try, but the country club doesn’t have a membership card.”

The Doctor puts the paper away and stares at the officer like a deer in headlights. He hasn’t really formed a backup plan in case the psychic paper fails to work because it always works.

“We just got newly accepted in this year,” the Master says. “We are newbies.”

The officer stares at them skeptically and walks over to a desk located in the corner. He yanks open one of the drawers and pulls out a clipboard that lists the name, telephone number, and address of each current member. 

“What are your names?”

“I’m…David Anderson, and this is John…Smith,” the Doctor answers uneasily.

“Hm, I don’t see a David Anderson, however, there is a John Smith. Do you live at 3428 Hilton Avenue?”

“Um…yes?” the Master answers.

“No. I personally know John, and you’re not him.” He slides the clipboard back into the drawer.

The Doctor gives this one last shot. “They haven’t had the time to update the list yet.”

The officer shakes his head with a smirk, and the Doctor feels defeated. The Master is secretly amazed by how clever this human is and has nothing more to say either. That’s when the officer walks over to them.

“We found you.”

“Huh?” the Doctor asks.

The officer grabs the Doctor’s left hand and flips it over to expose his palm. The Doctor stares at the tiny bump under his skin.

“Thomas embedded this tracking device into your skin. Clever, right? This technology goes far beyond our own.”

The Doctor stares at him in shock and tries thinking back on when Thomas could’ve gotten away with that. _He held my hand at the prayer during dinner. That must be it. But how did I not feel anything?_

“What technology is it?” the Master asks.

The officer’s face twists into a wicked grin. “I’m glad you asked.” He grabs the Master’s wrists and yanks them behind his back.

“Oi! What do you think you’re doing?” he shouts, his wrists stinging beneath the bandages.

The officer doesn’t respond as he slaps a pair of handcuffs around the Master’s wrists.

“Release me at once!” He struggles against the hold. “Doctor, get your screwdriver out!”

However, before the Doctor can react, the officer handcuffs him as well.

“Oh, the Superior is going to love this.” He cackles and leads them out of the building.

After shoving them into the back of his cruiser, the officer injects them with a tranquilizer before speeding off.

**D/M/D/M/D/M/D/M/D/M**

“You have got to be joking.”

Once he had pried himself away from the depths of drug-induced unconsciousness, the Master found himself locked up once again. He slowly sits up from the cot he’s lying on and glares at the familiar sight of metal bars.

Movement out of the corner of his eye diverts his attention to the other side of the cell. He’s sure it’s the Doctor until he realizes the figure isn’t wearing a suit but a long, grey coat.

“Jackass?”

“Whew, rough landing.” Jack pulls himself into a seated position against the wall. He stares at the Master. “Hey, what are you doing here?”

"That's what I was about to ask you."

“I was at the bar downtown when this cop came in and started interrogating me about time travel and Time Lords, which of course was super weird, then the next thing I know I’m in here. Guess he figured out my identity or something.” He chuckled. “What are the odds I chose the same place and time as you guys?”

“One in at least a trillion,” he mutters.

“Why are you all dressed up like that? You're actually almost easier to look at."

The Master’s eyes narrow. “It was part of our character. We’ve been trying to figure out what’s behind the Roswell wreck. We were following a lead when we ended up in here.”

“Shouldn’t the Doctor be in here with us, then?”

Panic wells in the Master’s chest. “I don’t know where he is.”

“Guess we better go looking for him, eh?”

The Master gets off the cot and pats his pocket. He grins and pulls out his screwdriver. “Ha! They didn’t do a weapons check.”

“No way.” Jack feels around for his gun only to have his smile drop. “Those bastards checked me! You got lucky.”

The Master just shrugs and sets his screwdriver at the lock then activates it. Within seconds the cell door unlocks and squeaks open.

“Security breach in Quadrant 2, Cell 19. Security breach in Quadrant 2, Cell 19,” an automated voice blares out around them.

Jack stands on wobbly legs before stepping out. “Yeah, we probably should’ve figured there would be an alarm.”

“Well, let’s not stand around to find out what happens,” the Master says and takes off down the hall with Jack on his heels.

**D/M/D/M/D/M/D/M/D/M**

It is around this time that the Doctor is awakening from his insentience. He feels his body regaining its sensory ability and slowly becomes aware of his surroundings. Although it’s verbally quiet, he can detect some type of electromagnetic transference taking place around him.

The Doctor opens his eyes into a squint at the harsh, white light shining above him. He tries moving but quickly discovers he is strapped to a table. In a panic, he tries speaking out to whoever may be there. However, his words come out slurred and, to make matters worse, he doesn’t smell the Master, which indicates the other Time Lord isn’t nearby. He feels a sharp tug on his hearts and desperately hopes that he is safe.

“Hello, Doctor. It’s about time you came back to us.”

A figure comes into view, blocking the light enough for the Doctor to fully open his eyes. It’s Thomas. A smile appears beneath the man’s moustache.

“I’m sure you would like to know how I know your name. Well, it’s simple. The Jauspouri told me. They told me what I need to know about you.”

The Doctor gulps while staring into his shapely face. He never gets a good feeling when a stranger says they know things about him.

“The Jauspouri just want access into that lovely mind of yours,” Thomas continues. “They know how unparalleled your knowledge of the galaxy is, and they want it. They want to harvest your knowledge so that they can expand throughout the galaxy.”

The Doctor shakes his head stubbornly and that’s when he realizes he is connected to a series of wires and machines. He has never had someone target his brain before, although it’s a very dangerous move for the Jauspouri. Not just any race could handle the contents of a Time Lord’s brain. The event with Rose and her absorption of the TARDIS energy was an alarming reminder of that.

“You don’t think this will be a problem, do you, Doctor?” Thomas asks sweetly.

The Doctor nods urgently. He thinks it will be a catastrophic problem! Thomas chuckles and moves from the Doctor’s vision. Seven Jauspouri take his place, surrounding the Doctor. Sandra is standing in the corner of the room with a clipboard.

“Tell them to proceed with the preparation,” Thomas tells her.

Sandra nods and begins sketching like she’s in a trance, her glowing eyes fixed straight ahead, her hands working rapidly. She completes the sketch within seconds, and the Doctor watches as she approaches what must be the head Jauspouri behind the operation. She holds out the clipboard to him, and he observes it before silently responding back to her. Sandra’s eyes keep glowing as she nods along in understanding. She then approaches her father, who is standing off to the side with his arms crossed.

“He said that they need another hour of prep time,”

“Another hour? Won’t that be too long?”

She shakes her head. “He says they will take the time they need.”

Thomas sighs. “All right, well, so be it. It’s not like the Doctor will be missing any appointments.” He smirks at the helpless Time Lord.

The Doctor tries not to let his panic escalate and takes this moment to just close his eyes and breathe. He gets his mind to wander to images of the Master. How he wishes he could take the smaller man's hand and lead him out of here. He also hopes this same thing isn’t happening to him in another room.


	10. On Another Adventure Pt. 3

“What is this?” Jack asks, his eyes scanning the endless line of cells placed on either side of the hallway. 

People of all ages are clustered into each cell. They are wearing identical outfits but with a different number on the front. Their presence attracts nearly everyone’s attention, and they get stared at as they walk by.

“It looks like we have a hostage situation,” the Master says.

“Excuse me, sir.”

A little girl, who only appears to be about six, stands behind one of the cell doors. Her tiny hands are wrapped around the bars, and the look she’s giving the Master could soften the hardest of hearts. The Master hesitates before stopping.

“Yeah?”

The girl glances at the ground shyly. “You talk funny.”

The Master quirks a brow. “You do, too.”

She smiles slightly before slowly looking up at him. “I’m Dorothy.”

The Master sighs. Jack chuckles at him. “Hi, Dorothy, I’m…er…John.”

Dorothy giggles. “That’s my grandpa’s name.”

“…that’s nice.”

“Will you help us, Mister John?” She motions at her family gathered near the back of the cell. They are all thin with bags under their eyes. It’s apparent they’ve been locked away for a while.

The Master draws in a deep breath. He’d be lying if this girl wasn’t tugging on his surviving heart strings.

“I will see what I can do.”

“Promise?” Dorothy gazes at him with big, brown eyes.

“Promise.”

Dorothy grins and runs back to her family. “He says he’s gonna help us!”

The Master nods at them before continuing with Jack down the hall.

“Wow.”

The Master frowns. “Wow, what?”

“I think that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever done.”

“Oh, shut up. I can’t guarantee anything won’t happen to them.”

“But the fact you even talked to a human like that…Doc would be so happy.”

The Master glances at him. He can’t really explain what made him stop to interact with the girl. He almost wishes he could’ve seen the Doctor’s reaction. _What are you doing to me, Theta?_

“Anyways, we need to come up with a plan.”

The Master's expression morphs into one of shock. “Oh, I’m nice to one human, and now you trust me?”

“I’m just workin’ with what I got. And all we got is each other at the moment.”

The Master ponders that. He hasn’t really had to figure out a plan like this before. 

“I guess you can go search for your weapon. That’d be useful, especially if we get ambushed.”

“True, true. I’ll be off then.” They both stand there awkwardly. “I might free some of these people in the process.”

“Right, yeah, that sounds fine. I’ll try to find the Doctor.”

“That’ll be good…see you on the other side, then.”

“Right…good luck.”

“Yeah, you too.”

They both nod before going their separate ways. 

**D/M/D/M/D/M/D/M/D/M**

“Are you still comfortable, Doctor?”

“As comfy as I’ll ever be.” The Doctor startles himself at the sound of his own voice. Whatever they had injected into him must have worn off.

“Ah, it’s so nice to hear that adorable English accent of yours.”

The Doctor pulls against his restraints. “Please, Thomas, you don’t want to do this.”

“And why not?”

“You are abusing your power. Your duty lies with the people of Roswell, not with the Jauspouri of Rivettora.”

“The Jauspouri are a fine race with fine intention. They only want to provide the best for their growing population.”

“That’s just it, Thomas, don’t you see?! The Earth is already populated with humans, so they aren’t providing the best for their people by trying to settle here.”

Thomas shakes his head. “Your jaw was tranquilized for a reason, Doctor. We all agree that you talk too damn much!”

“And I have a reason for saying what I'm saying!”

Thomas turns to Sandra. “Tell them to get another tranquilizer prepared.”

Sandra nods, whips out a fresh piece of paper from her backpack and rapidly composes another sketch. She shows it to the lead Jauspouri then walks back over to Thomas once she gets a response.

“He says no because he would like him to speak with the Superior.”

“What?” He looks over at him. “But that will interrupt the whole plan!”

The lead Jauspouri approaches Sandra and traces the squares on her sketch with his purple-skinned finger.

“He says the Superior will be interested in hearing what he has to say. They will continue working on the device while the Doctor is with her.”

Thomas scowls, and the Doctor sighs quietly in relief. The sooner he gets out of this laboratory, the sooner he can go find the Master. 

The lead Jauspouri prepares an injection at the table. He inserts the needle into the Doctor’s neck. Within moments, the Doctor’s body goes limp, and his vision turns black. 

On the other side of the base, the Master has successfully made it down two more aisles. Although he has a steady sense of direction due to his Gallifreyan heritage, he’s clueless as to the layout of the base. It’s not like there are detailed maps hanging about to let him know exactly where he is and where he’s headed. He wanders down a darkened corridor when a familiar smell hits his nostrils. He tilts his head back and inhales deeply. _Well, that didn’t take as long as I thought._ The scent is a bit stale, meaning the Doctor has moved from wherever he was, but he’s definitely still alive. _Thank Rassilon…_

“The Superior doesn’t have time to listen to the Doctor and his nonsense,” a voice echoes around him. “Ask him how long this is going to take.”

The Master freezes in his tracks. He hadn’t even noticed the three figures standing at the end of the hallway. He sticks close to the wall in an attempt to blend in with the shadows. He recognized that voice as Thomas’s. The smaller figure must be Sandra. The Master can’t help but watch in amazement as her eyes start glowing and her hand works on a sketch. He immediately recognizes that as the link between human and Jauspouri.

Sandra shows her finished drawing to the Jauspouri, who uses that established telepathic link to respond to what she drew. She turns back to Thomas with her glowing eyes.

“He says that the Superior will converse with him for as long as she needs to. Once she is done with him, then they will proceed with the operation.”

“Operation?” the Master repeats to himself. What could the Jauspouri want with the Doctor?

A flood of anger surges through him. He’s the only one allowed to harm a hair on the Doctor’s head! Right when the Master is about to step out and reveal himself, he feels hot breath on his neck, along with something cold pressing into his back. He slowly turns around and comes face-to-face with a Jauspourian guard. The alien’s lips are curled back into a snarl. His beady, red eyes are boring into the Master, the tip of his gun jabbing into the Master’s abdomen.

The Master heaves a sigh. He isn’t intimidated, but he was hoping to avoid confrontation with these ugly creatures. He gazes up at the tall creature with a blank expression. He knows the Doctor wouldn’t approve of what he’s about to do, but the situation calls for action. 

The Master slowly holds up his arms to indicate that he means no harm then slides off his jacket in one swift movement. The guard growls lowly. He obviously isn’t amused.

The Master gasps sharply and points frantically. “Oh, no, one of the prisoners escaped!” 

The gullible guard’s eyes widen as he whips around. The Master throws his jacket over the guard’s head then throws a series of punches at his back, where some of the vital organs are contained. The Jauspouri lets out an inaudible screech as he falls to his knees, dropping his gun in the process. He attempts to pick it up, but the Master is quicker.

A kick to the back sends the Jauspouri to the ground. The Time Lord stands a few feet away, watching the guard thrash about in pain and casually twirls the gun. The feel of the cool metal against his skin gives the Master an adrenaline rush. 

“Is that the best you got?” he hollers with a laugh.

“What the hell is going on down there?” Thomas asks gruffly.

“That voice sounds familiar,” Sandra replies.

Two loud blasts echo down the hallway. Thomas instinctively throws himself in front of Sandra, who crouches down behind him.

“Who’s shooting?!” Thomas demands.

The Master walks further down the hallway to face them. His disheveled suit jacket is sprinkled with neon-green Jauspouri blood. 

“That would be me.”

Thomas gasps. “How’d you get out of your cell?” 

“I have my ways.” He aims the gun at Thomas.

Thomas throws his hands up. “Don’t shoot!”

“Where’s the Doctor?”

Thomas gulps quietly. “What’s it to ya?”

“I kinda need him back.”

“Well, that’s tough because we also — ah!” Thomas squeezes his eyes shut as the Master presses the barrel to his forehead.

“No!” Sandra screams.

“I could stand here all day until you give me an answer,” the Master says casually.

Thomas spits toward his shoes.

The Master blinks. “Well, I suppose you made your decision.” He cocks the gun.

“No, wait!” Sandra shouts. “The Doctor’s with the Superior!”

“Hush!” Thomas hisses and jabs her with the heel of his shoe.

“The Superior, huh? How original.” He shakes his head. “And who might that be?”

“It’s none of your business!” Thomas snaps.

“This whole thing is my business.”

Thomas makes a grab for the gun, but, again, the Master is quicker. He grabs Thomas by the throat and lifts him up, slamming him against the wall.

“I swear to Rassilon above, if you don’t tell me where the Doctor is, I will snap your fucking neck in half.”

Thomas claws at the Master’s hand, but it doesn’t budge. Instead, he tries hitting the Master in the crotch with his knee. The crafty Time Lord jerks his hips out of the line of fire.

“S-Sandra!” Thomas squeaks out. His face is turning red, and his breathing is growing labored. “Go…go get help!”

Sandra looks back and forth at them for a moment before shaking her head. “I’m sorry, Daddy.”

Thomas’s eyes widen. “Wh-What…do you…mean?!”

“Ouch. Smells like betrayal.” The Master releases Thomas, who slides to the floor while making gasping sounds.

“I’ll show you where he is,” Sandra says.

The Master nods while tucking the gun away. 

Thomas coughs a few times. “Don’t…don’t do this, Sandra!”

“And why not?” Sandra asks. “Do you really think I care about owning a stupid planet?”

Thomas stares at her in shock. “Of course you care. We will be safe!”

“And everyone else will be dead. Us four get to live, and everybody else on Earth dies. That never sounded like a good deal to me!”

The Master quirks an eyebrow at this new information. “You will get to own a whole planet?”

Sandra nods. “That’s what the Jauspouri promised us for offering to help them gain control over Earth.”

“You believe that?”

Thomas glares up at him. “Yes, we do. Me and my family will be the rulers of our own planet. We will make history!”

“What history? Earth’s population will be destroyed,” the Master says. “The only thing you will be are the last humans in the galaxy. Then you will die out, and so will your planet.”

Sandra stares at the Master fearfully before turning to Thomas. “See, Daddy? How can you want that for us?”

“It sounded like a good idea at the time,” Thomas grumbles. He slowly stands up and removes his hand from his throat.

The Master shakes his head. “No, there is nothing good about it. You don’t want to be the last of your race.”

“You and the Doctor are the last of your race,” Sandra says lowly. “At least that’s what the Superior told us.”

The Master feels a tug on his hearts. “That’s why I need to get to him.”

Sandra gazes at him sympathetically. “If I’m going to lead you to him, I need it to look like you are a prisoner so that nobody gets suspicious.” She pulls out the elastic from her hair and ties it around the Master’s wrists a couple times to look like he’s bound.

“And what am I supposed to do?” Thomas demands.

“Keep quiet,” the Master replies and glances at the gun in his belt.

Thomas scoffs and crosses his arms across his chest stubbornly. He glares at them but doesn’t try to stop them as Sandra leads the Master deeper into the base.

**D/M/D/M/D/M/D/M/D/M**

“Doctor.”

The unfamiliar voice barely registers through the Doctor’s ears as he awakens from his drug-induced slumber. He stretches and lifts his head up, his skull hitting what must be the back of a chair. The sight of a Jauspourian woman greets him when he blinks opens his eyes. She is seated behind a desk wearing a large, intricate headdress and a smile.

“It’s good to finally meet you,” she says.

“Superior?” he says. 

Her smile grows. “We aren’t in polite company, so please call me Vicela.”

“How can you understand me, Vicela?”

“Let’s just say I've had some work done,” she replies coyly.

“That’s very impressive.”

“I find your presence to be very impressive.”

The Doctor cocks his head to the side. “I can’t tell if that’s a compliment.”

“Oh, it is. You are the last of your kind, Doctor — the last child of Gallifrey. Who wouldn’t be honored to be in your presence?”

The Doctor quirks a brow. “You’ve been misinformed. I’m not the last one.”

Vicela’s eyes widen. “Is that so?”

“Only one other survived.”

“We weren’t aware of two survivors.”

“He was hiding in disguise on another planet for many years. He goes by the Master.”

“That is incredible! You must be so happy that you aren't the only one."

The Doctor nods. "I am. But there are some things I need to discuss with you.”

Vicela leans back in her chair. “Of course. What would you like to discuss?”

“Why are you lot here?”

“Oh, why aren’t we here, Doctor? This planet is like prime real estate for our future generations to grow up on.”

“But there’s already a race inhabiting this planet. Why not find one for sale?”

“I assume you know how sensitive we are to exposure. We haven’t found another planet with a suitable ecosystem.”

“I can help.”

Vicela eyes the Doctor skeptically. “The best planets are already inhabited. We have no other choice but to force them away and take over.”

“You always have a choice. And you could find another planet.”

Vicela sighs. “We don’t exactly have the proper technological means. That’s why we wanted a peek inside your brain. That beautiful Time Lord brain contains never-ending knowledge. It would be so valuable to us.”

The Doctor raises a brow. “Why didn’t you just ask me to help you? I don’t exactly fancy the idea of my brain being poked and prodded.” 

“Many people have turned their backs on us. We mean well, Doctor, we really do, but our trust is limited when it comes to accepting help.”

Before the Doctor can reply, his nose gets hit with a familiar scent. His hearts skip a beat, and his face lights up with a smile. Vicela eyes the Doctor in bewilderment. 

“Doctor?”

“He’s alive! He’s here, and he’s alive!”

“Who? What?”

A knock sounds on the large metal door. Vicela clears her throat and presses a button on her desk that’s connected to a speaker outside the door. 

“Who’s there?” 

“It’s Sandra. I’m here with another person that would like to speak with you.”

“All right, bring them in.” 

She releases the button then pushes the one that activates the door. She rises from her seat and clasps her hands together as a gesture of Jauspourian politeness.

Sandra walks in with the Master. The Doctor can barely contain his excitement when he sees him and wants nothing more than to take him into his arms. Even though it would be inappropriate, there’s no way he can with the way his arms are tied down to the chair, anyways.

“Tell us your identity,” Vicela says.

Sandra winks at the Master before getting dismissed by Vicela.

“I’m the Master.”

Vicela grasps at her heart through her flowing robes. “The last two children of Gallifrey. I can’t believe I am in the same room as you both.”

The Master eyes her. “I’ve never met someone so happy to see me.” He glances at the Doctor, who is staring at him. _Well, except you, I guess…_

Vicela leans against her desk. “We have heard so many stories of the Doctor saving history, and the Master destroying the future. It’s funny how different you both are, and yet, you’re right here. Night and day. Dark and light.”

“We’re travelling together,” the Doctor says.

“Because I have no choice.”

“Nope. You don’t. You’re stuck with me.” The Doctor grins.

“Until I find a way to escape.”

“You better not even think about it.”

“I’m joking.”

“…are you?”

“Yes?”

“It’s just hard to tell with you sometimes.”

“I’m sorry, should I warn you when I’m about to joke next time?”

“I hate to interrupt this lover’s quarrel, but we have more important things to discuss,” Vicela says, her amused eyes darting back and forth between them.

The Master rolls his eyes. “Right, well, answer me this then: Why are you taking hostages?” 

“Hostages?” the Doctor repeats.

“Yep. There are a whole bunch of cells filled with people on the other side of the base.”

“Are you joking?”

“No, actually I’m not this time.”

“We are going to use them for an experiment,” Vicela says. “Don’t worry, it won’t result in their demise or anything. We are fascinated with human anatomy and — ”

“That’s a legitimate reason to kidnap them and lock them up?” the Doctor interrupts.

“They won’t be for long. I have Jack on it,” the Master says.

“Jack is here?”

The Master nods. “We were put into the same cell. He got arrested by a police guy like we did.” He glances at Vicela. “And you lot thought you could keep us in there. Ha!” Vicela’s eyes narrow at him. “Oh, and while we’re on this subject, how about you tell Thomas and Sandra the truth?”

“About what?” Vicela asks.

“About how they aren’t going to become rulers of their own planet? I mean, really, that’s the best bribe you could come up with?”

The Doctor is pleasantly surprised that the Master has gained so much information on his own. This gives him confidence that he can leave the Master on his own and trust that he can take care of business without running off.

“There would have been no other way to convince them to help us,” Vicela says.

“What do you really need them for?” the Master asks. He is starting to enjoy taking charge of this interrogation. 

“We needed a human with power, and who better than a mayor? We took Thomas because he is in charge of this town and knows a lot about it.”

“Why Roswell, New Mexico in the 1940s?” the Doctor asks.

“Yeah, why not New York or California in the 22nd century?” the Master says. “There’s a bigger population in those states and more advanced technology…by Earth standards, anyways.”

“This is where the space-time continuum decided to spit us out,” Vicela says. “We didn’t have control over the location or the time period. Shortly after we set up the base, I sent an unmanned drone to survey the area for informational purposes. To my dismay, the blasted thing ended up crashing.” She shakes her head regretfully. “The humans have gone ballistic over it and retrieved the wreckage before we could. Now they know what our drones look like.”

“We investigated the wreck site earlier and salvaged a piece of the drone.” The Doctor nods at his pocket, and the Master retrieves the fragment, slamming it down in front of Vicela.

Vicela sighs. “That’s not really any comfort.” She picks up the shiny piece and examines it. “It wasn’t supposed to crash. The humans aren’t supposed to know about us yet. We have only been here for an Earth month. Our takeover has been slow, but the crash has halted everything.”

“If it’s any comfort, at least they don’t know what you look like,” the Master says. “Seriously, you look nothing like the alien stuff they’re selling.”

“But they still know that something “not of Earth” exists. They shouldn’t even suspect that another species is living among them.”

“You imprisoned them out of fear,” the Doctor says with a faraway look in his eyes.

“Excuse me?”

“You have taken those hostages out of fear of being discovered. That’s why you brainwashed the local law enforcement, since it’s already their job to arrest anyone who they feel is a threat.”

Vicela sits in silence for a moment. “We weren’t planning on taking prisoners when we got here, but the crash has left us in a panic. You must believe me, Doctor.” 

The Master stretches then yawns. “Well, they were going to find out about you all sooner or later.”

“Yes, but not this early! It has only been a Jauspourian week. That is much too soon.”

“I’ve already offered you my help, Vicela,” the Doctor says lowly. “You don’t need to go through with this operation. I can help you find a vacant planet that’s even better than this one.”

Before she can answer, two loud booms sound in the distance, followed by the roar of several voices shouting. 

Vicela’s expression shifts into one of bewilderment and she fixes her startled gaze on the door. “What was that?”

“Sounded like an explosion,” the Master comments casually. He knows what’s going on out there. 

Another explosion rings out, along with sporadic gunshots. The Doctor flinches with each sound then glances at the Master. He has a sinking feeling the other Time Lord is partly responsible for whatever is going on.

Vicela rises and presses her index and middle fingers to her temples. She closes her eyes for a few moments before reopening them and dropping her arms. "Nobody is reading me." She rushes over to the door and flings it open. 

A Jauspourian guard is standing on the other side, his arm raised in mid-knock. They gaze at each other, and the tilting of their heads indicates they must be having a conversation. 

"What do you mean the hostages have been freed?!" she yells suddenly.

They both duck at the loud boom that sounds throughout the building.

“Of course we need to get me out of here!" she shouts.

The Doctor glances at the Master. “This was your doing, wasn’t it?”

The Master nods with a gratified smile. “I had a hand in it.”

“I just hope nobody is getting hurt out there.”

“I’m just glad you’re not hurt.”

A warm, fuzzy feeling spreads throughout the Doctor’s chest, bringing a smile to his face. “I’m glad you’re not, either.”

Vicela finishes speaking with the guard before walking back over to her desk. She opens a drawer and pulls out a key.

“What’s going on out there?” the Doctor asks, pretending to be oblivious.

“A rebellion, that’s what,” Vicela replies. She unlocks the Doctor from his chair. “A rebellion started by him and his cronies.” She tosses a cold look at the Master.

The Master rises from his seat in defense. “We couldn’t let you hang onto something that should be free!”

“My people are dying at the hands of those humans! Where’s the justice in that?”

The Doctor rubs his wrists. “I have offered you a way out of this, Vicela. I beg you to take the offer now that it’s a matter of life and death.”

Vicela glances back and forth between them before huffing. “I don’t have time for this.” She rushes out the door.

The Doctor stares after her in dismay but makes no attempt to stop her. How can a leader lack the motivation to help her own people? Although it’s not the first time he’s seen such cowardice, it doesn’t make the impact any less difficult for the Doctor to understand.

“Doc!”

Jack comes running into the room, his gun drawn and his clothes splattered with Jauspourian blood.

“It’s a…mess out there,” he says between breaths.

“Are Thomas and Sandra safe?” the Doctor asks.

“Yeah, they’re here with me.” He jerks his thumb back.

The Master squints his eyes. “You sure about that?”

“What?” Jack whips around to find that they are, indeed, not there. “Well, this can’t be good.”

“We need to find them so they can be returned home safely,” the Doctor says urgently. 

Jack nods while running his sleeve across his sweaty forehead. “I’m on it.”

“I am too,” the Master says and whips out the gun.

Jack and the Doctor gape in unison. “Where did you get that?”

“Doesn’t matter.”

Although it most certainly matters to the Doctor, he can’t help but find it noble that the renegade Time Lord is willing to fight for the humans. This gives him more hope. However, he doesn’t have long to think on that as he braces himself for what awaits on the other side of the door.


	11. On Another Adventure Pt. 4

And what a scene of carnage it is. The moment the three leave the room they have to step over a few bodies. The bodies of humans and Jauspouris alike are littered across the ground. The Doctor’s skin crawls faster with every step they take. Splatters of green and red liquid accompanied by gunshot holes decorate the walls like some macabre painting. The air is getting smoky from two separate electrical fires burning brightly down the hallways. A few human survivors are still running around trying to find a way out.

“It’s a shame this ended the way it did,” the Doctor says lowly.

“If it’s any consolation, I’d say most of the hostages escaped,” Jack says. “There were a lot more of 'em than this.”

“Are you gentlemen looking for something?”

Jack and the Master whip around with their guns. Vicela is standing there, a wicked smile on her face that looks anything like the sweet, polite lady the Doctor met earlier. The fires in the hallway are beginning to spread upwards and into the circuits running through the ceiling. Half of the lights shut off suddenly, leaving the group in the remaining light and Vicela partially concealed in the dark. 

Two of the surviving guards arrive at her side, having been telepathically summoned. One is holding a struggling Sandra, while the other has Thomas’s arms bound behind his back. The electrical tape over their mouths has them silenced, so they plead at the three with their eyes.

“Vicela, let them go,” the Doctor demands, appalled at the sudden change in her demeanor.

“It’s OK, Doctor, they won’t be harmed,” she responds. “They are about to receive their reward for their loyalty to us: An all-expense trip to Rivettora!”

"And there it is," the Master comments. "I knew that offer was too good to be true."

Thomas looks confused for a second before his face turns red. He then starts shouting into the tape. The guard knees him in the back of the leg, which nearly sends him to the floor.

The Master sighs. "You should never believe someone when they promise you utopia."

Vicela grins a toothy grin. “That Time Lord brain is certainly working. The whole planet promise was, indeed, just a ruse to get you to come with us."

Thomas glares at her before exhaling in frustration then sulking.

Vicela gently caresses Thomas’s face with her clawed hand. “Awww, cheer up, my little tchyle,” she coos. “You are going to love my home planet.”

“Why do you need them on Rivettora?” the Doctor asks. “It's surrounded by toxic gases. They wouldn’t even survive the trip.”

Vicela steps up to the Doctor. “You worry too much…” She grabs him by his collar and kisses him firmly. 

In one swift motion, the Master has his gun pointed at Vicela’s head, his skin prickling.

“That’s enough of that,” he says through grit teeth.

Vicela tears her lips away from the Doctor’s then smirks at the Master. “Thank you…thank you all for destroying my plan!” She smacks the Doctor across the face before shoving him away from her.

The Doctor staggers back, his hand cradling his stinging cheek. Jack lurches forward, his face tight in anger, but the Master holds him back.

“I got this,” he murmurs.

Jack briefly looks disappointed before nodding and tending to the Doctor.

The Master cracks his neck before stepping up to Vicela, his gun now aiming at her face. “We can still end this on a peaceful note. You give us the humans, and we won’t shoot you. That way everyone lives.”

Vicela stares into the barrel of the gun before tensely motioning at the guards. With their grip still on Sandra and Thomas, they pull out their guns and aim them at the Master.

“OK, I gotta step in now!” Jack exclaims. He stands next to the Master while aiming his gun back and forth between the guards.

“Stop it! This can end without more bloodshed!” the Doctor shouts.

“He’s right, I suppose,” Vicela says. “Now, if you’ll excuse us, we have a ship to catch.” She looks around at everyone and winks at the Doctor when she catches his eye. She then motions at the guards, who withdraw their weapons, before they all disappear into the darkness.

“Put the guns down,” the Doctor commands.

"But they're getting away!" the Master says. "What else are we supposed to do?"

"Yeah, I think I can still get a shot right now," Jack adds.

The Doctor shakes his head. “What if you accidentally shot Sandra or Thomas? It’s not worth the risk.”

“So, you’re just going to let them take them?" the Master says. "That’s not like you, Doctor.”

The Doctor rounds on him. “Yeah, well, look at the damage that’s already been done!”

Jack coughs. “Speaking of damage, this building is gonna burn down, like, soon. We really should get out of here.”

The Doctor watches as the growing flames eat away at the architecture of the building. Two of the hallways are completely engulfed, and the flames are rising up to the ceiling. The Doctor wipes at his damp brow as his mind races to come up with a plan.

He turns to Jack. “I need you to get out of here and go back to the TARDIS.”

“You kicking me out of the party?”

“This smoke isn’t good for your lungs. We can handle it better.”

Jack coughs a few more times. “I’m immortal, ya know.”

The Doctor shoots him a look. “Go check on Martha.”

The time traveller studies the lanky Time Lord before sighing. “Fine.” He pulls out his Vortex Manipulator. “You both better come back in one piece.” He disappears.

“Wow, he actually said both,” the Master says. “It’s like the cocky bastard cares about me or something.”

“Never mind that. We need to get Sandra and Thomas back. This way!”

**D/M/D/M/D/M/D/M/D/M**

When the Time Lords are a safe distance from the roar of the fire and the rain of crashing lights, they suddenly feel the ground rumbling under their feet.

“Oh, just what we need right now, a bloody earthquake!” the Master shouts.

The Doctor shakes his head. “I doubt it. It feels mechanical.” 

Their voices echo down the sparse, uncharred hallway. A series of metal doors are present on both sides. The Doctor sniffs the air and detects the smelly Jauspouri/human scent combination. The scent is strong and fresh.

“They were definitely in this hallway and must be behind one of these doors,” the Doctor announces.

“Allow me to help,” the Master says. He walks back over to the mouth of the hallway and closes his eyes. He draws in a deep breath and lets his mind linger on the scent for a few moments. When he gets a clear sense of direction, he holds up his finger and, with his eyes still closed, points at one of the doors. “It’s that one.”

“I’ll trust your judgment.” The Doctor approaches said door, which is locked.

“Gee, if that isn’t one of the nicest things you’ve ever said to me.”

The Doctor grabs out his screwdriver. “You’ve been brilliant, Master, really.”

The Master stands up straighter, unable to help the glow of pride he suddenly feels. "Is that right?"

The Doctor nods right when the doorknob clicks open. The uninspiring room leads the Time Lords to a flight of metal stairs. They are able to see each step down, despite the dull lighting. Once they get halfway down, they pause to tilt their heads back and sniff in unison.

“Is that crysvider exhaust?” the Master asks.

“Oh, yes, I believe so.”

He pulls a face. “Mixed with the human and Jauspourian stench. Lovely.”

When they reach the bottom of the stairs, the duo find themselves in a large underground laboratory. The massive door is open, and a large Jauspourian vessel is positioned in the middle of the room. Sandra, Thomas, and one of the guards are seated inside. The other guard is crouching behind the vessel with what looks like tools in his hands. Vicela marches out of the vessel moments later.

“Are we ready for takeoff yet?”

The guard gives her a look of confusion. She must repeat the message telepathically because the guard makes a few nonverbal gestures. Vicela lets out an audible grunt of discontent. With the Master in tow, the Doctor walks over to them.

“Vicela, I want you to stop this ship,” he says.

Vicela jumps. Her expression of shock quickly transforms into one of displeasure, and she scowls. “Well, if isn’t Sir Talks-A-Lot and his faithful companion Sir Knows-It-All.”

“Vicela, please, my offer of help still stands. You need to take it before it’s too late.”

“Help? Ha! You are only interested in “helping” us because we have human hostages. Everyone in the galaxy knows that the almighty Doctor plays favorites with humans!”

“Ouch,” the Master murmurs.

The Doctor flinches at the sting of her words. “I offer help to anyone regardless of race.”

Vicela scoffs. “Right, I’ll believe that when I hear about it.”

“How have you not heard?” the Master says. “The Doctor has done some incredible things for the sake of this galaxy. He has helped countless different races find life and purpose again. He has saved various planets and populations from destruction. That’s the Time Lord oath, sweetheart, and the Doctor is the best damn example of it. He is always there for you when you need him, and he genuinely cares about you. I mean, he is here right now, isn’t he? He didn’t have to come help you. The galaxy is an enormous place, and he could be somewhere else. But he’s not. He’s standing right here in front of you at this very moment for a reason. He is here to save the people who deserve it, and that means everybody. Nobody is “unworthy” of his assistance. So stop being a stubborn, ungrateful bitch and accept the Doctor’s request. You will regret it later if you don’t.”

The Doctor listens to him in shock. The Master’s words were fueled with an unexpected passion, and the Doctor feels like he just got a great big hug.

Vicela observes the Master in silence. It’s obvious she wasn’t expecting that, either. For a split second, her gaze softens, only to harden back up again. “Oh, what do you know? You have spent your entire life trying to kill him.”

Now it’s the Master’s turn to appear shocked. He had just spilled his hearts out, which is something he NEVER does, and she isn’t even fazed. Without another word, he pulls the gun back out and shoots her point-blank in the face. Vicela’s head snaps back from the impact, sending her regal headdress flying across the room. Her body crumples to the ground with neon-green blood oozing from her disfiguring wound. 

The guard throws his tools down, but the Master shoots him in the chest before he can retrieve his gun. The guard falls down next to his beloved leader. The Master knows the Doctor is shouting at him, but he can’t hear it. The other guard races out of the spacecraft with his gun drawn. His eyes flicker to the bodies before he starts shooting at the Master. The Master skillfully dodges all of them, although the third shot grazes his arm and burns through the fabric of his jacket. He barely takes notice and returns a few shots. Two of them hit the guard right in the abdomen. The Jauspourian’s hands fly to his wound. He lets out an inaudible groan then topples over. He twitches a few times before lying still.

The gun slides out of the Master’s shaking hand. He almost can’t believe he just took three lives. Sure, he has taken many lives over the years, but it doesn’t feel the same now. He isn’t feeling that thrill. As the fog in his mind clears, he’s acutely aware of the Doctor’s presence. What he said about him was in vain, long forgotten now thanks to his actions.

He chances a look at the other Time Lord and sees him guiding Sandra and Thomas out of the spacecraft. He runs his screwdriver around their heads to deactivate any mind control device that could be implanted inside. 

Thomas tries shielding Sandra’s eyes from the gruesome sight, but she shrugs him off. She glances at the bodies passively before resting her gaze on the Master. She stands there for a moment before walking up to him and hugging him.

“Thank you,” she whispers.

The Master awkwardly pats Sandra on the back. “You’re welcome?”

“Come on, Sandra. We need to get you home,” the Doctor says tensely. 

The aura he is giving off is a rather unpleasant one, and that only makes the Master feel all the worse. Sandra releases the Master and smiles up at him tiredly before walking back over to her father and hugging him next.

“There was no other way, Doctor…” the Master murmurs.

“There is always another way,” he says coldly. “That was…I can’t even…” He shakes his head in disgust.

“Hey, Doctor, it looks like we have a way out,” Thomas says and motions at the large, rectangular opening in the wall.

The Doctor examines the opening and gives a curt nod. Thomas and Sandra step out into the early morning light. He immediately squints his eyes against the rising sun and holds his hand up in an attempt to block it out.

“I’m so tired,” Sandra says and sets her hand against the wall for balance. Her legs are wobbly, and she has dark circles under her eyes.

“I’ve got you,” Thomas says and picks her up. He holds her in his arms and waits for the Time Lords to join them.

“Do you remember where you parked?” the Doctor asks when the group begins their trek. The base is literally located out in the middle of nowhere. It is surrounded by mountains, and there is nothing but desert for miles.

“It’s located on the east side of the building,” Thomas says. “I believe we are facing north right now, so it should just be around this corner up here.”

Sandra yawns and closes her eyes. “Daddy? Do I have to go to school today?”

Thomas shakes his head. “Don’t worry about it. We will both need to take a couple days off.”

“A couple days off from what, Thomas?” the Doctor asks. “Your former job?”

Thomas sighs at the realization. “I guess I’m as good as unemployed now, huh?”

The Doctor nods sympathetically. “I think it would be best to resign.”

“Well, being mayor was fun while it lasted, I suppose.”

The Master hangs back behind the group and kicks at a few rocks. He spends a little while rattling his brain trying to think of a way to make this up to the Doctor. A smile appears on his face once he thinks of something. He’s been on a roll with his “unpredictable” actions today, so he would like to give the Doctor a final (good) surprise.

When the group arrives at Thomas’s Series 60 Oldsmobile, he gently sets Sandra down in the passenger’s seat. He kisses her forehead before unlocking the other doors.

“All right, everybody in!”

The Doctor casts one last look at the smoldering base. The building is almost completely engulfed in flames now, and, although he is thankful they got out, he can’t help feeling sad for those who lost their lives. He follows the Master into the back seat.

“Now let’s get the hell out of here,” Thomas says. He starts the car and takes off down the long dirt road.

When they get halfway down the road, the Master leans forward. “If you could drop me off along the main road, that would be great.”

Thomas nods.

The Doctor glances at the Master in confusion. “Why?”

“I want to get back to the TARDIS. There’s something I need to do.”

After dropping off the Master, Thomas continues driving toward the house. Two lights from upstairs are shining through the drawn blinds, which means somebody must be awake. Thomas pulls into the garage and turns to the Doctor.

“Are you sure you don’t need me to get you back to your hotel? You have to be exhausted.”

“I will be all right.” He smiles and exits the car.

Thomas carries a sleeping Sandra up to the front door. The Doctor follows and knocks on the door. William answers the door, looking rather disheveled. His sleepy face lights up at their presence.

“Oh my...come in!” He urges all three of them inside.

Thomas walks upstairs to get Sandra settled into bed.

“I waited up for them all night,” William says lowly. “I hoped and prayed for their safe return.”

“Looks like your prayers were answered," the Doctor says.

William presses his hands together and glances upwards “Thank you,” he whispers then looks at the Doctor. “And thank you, sir. Even when we didn’t believe you, you knew something was wrong and went after them.”

“I’m glad I was here to help.” 

“Say, wasn’t there another fellow with you?”

“Oh, he went back to the hotel. Long day.”

William nods and a sudden scream from upstairs indicates that Florence is up. “Shall I fetch you some tea while you are here?”

The Doctor shakes his head. “No, thank you. We all need our rest now. I appreciate the offer, though.”

“Of course.”

“Tell Florence that I had to leave but that she’s welcome for everything.”

William nods. “I will, sir. Thank you again.”

The Doctor steps out of the house and into the crisp morning air, his hands in his slack pockets. Although he wasn’t entirely happy with the direction of things, it seems as if everything ended the best way it could have. And the Doctor does have the Master to thank for that.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At last we have arrived at the chapter you've all been waiting for! So, yes, there will be slash, and I do hope it was worth the wait. ;) I would also like to take a moment and say a big thank you to all you fabulous readers. I had no idea this pairing was so popular and that this story would have gotten this many views. It's wonderful! You are all amazing in a wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey sort of way. :D <3

As the Doctor walks down the sidewalk, he observes everybody getting their day started. Husbands kiss their wives goodbye and receive hugs from their children before driving off to work. Wives walk back into the house to get the children ready for school with content smiles on their faces. Many of them follow this same dependable routine day-after-day, and it works comfortably for them.

The Doctor’s thoughts return to what it would be like to live this lifestyle. He wonders what it would be like to get married, own a home, have a family, and go to a regular job. It’s so different from what he knows, yet it’s so inexplicably human, which makes it wonderful. It’s not that the Doctor doesn’t love doctoring through the universe, but he does sometimes wonder what life is like in his companions’ shoes. What things are like when they go home and when they decide to move on without him.

The Doctor swallows around the lump forming in his throat. Now that he has the Master by his side, he can’t imagine life without him. Even if things did get chaotic today. Still, it was a nice change having a fellow Time Lord to figure out all those things with him. It felt so natural. A connection has been forming between the two of them that the Doctor had thought long lost. 

A giant wave of relief washes over him when he comes upon the beloved blue box. There is nothing more refreshing than arriving back at the TARDIS after a particularly exhausting day. The Doctor pats the trusty box gently before using his key to get in.

After launching the TARDIS into orbit and setting her on cruise control, the Doctor retreats to his quarters for a much-needed shower. The Master, who had just showered as well, was in the process of leaving his own room when he hears the Doctor arrive. Perfect timing.

He slips into the kitchen, where he proceeds to open all of the cabinets. His face lights up when he finds what he is looking for. He holds up the precious aged bottle of Mentzer the Doctor had shown him a few days ago. Mentzer was a delicious but expensive drink sold on Gallifrey. It contained traces of Wheyfel, which is chemically similar to alcohol on earth. It’s not quite as potent or concentrated as alcohol, but intoxication is possible if consumed in large quantities. The Master’s mouth waters at how fragrant and pure the liquid must be after being sealed for hundreds of years. He then grabs out the two fanciest wine glasses he can find.

“Well, well, look who made it back in one piece.”

The Master nearly loses his grip on the glasses. “Were you hoping I wouldn’t?”

Jack shrugs. “It didn’t really matter to me either way. Martha is kinda disappointed, but you can’t make everyone happy.” He eyeballs the glasses. “What you got there?”

“None of your business, Jackass.”

Jack crosses his arms and gazes at the Master in amusement. “That looks like the Doctor’s prized bottle of Mentzer.”

“Yeah? So?”

“Sooo, what’s the occasion?”

The Master sighs and carefully closes the cupboards. “I want to make something up to him.”

Jack raises his eyebrow out of curiosity. “Like what?”

“I, er…killed Vicela and her guards in front of him.”

Jack gapes. “Seriously?! Man, I knew I shouldn’t have left!”

“I’m not exactly proud of it, though…”

“Well, she must’ve deserved it. And you know how bent outta the shape the Doc gets about death. He’ll come around. I mean, there’s no way her death affected him more than yours did.”

The Master raises an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

Jack gives him a look. “Oh, yeah, you wouldn’t know about that. When you were shot and killed as Harold Saxon, the Doctor got all depressed.”

“He did?”

Jack nods. “And we’re not talkin’ ‘bout minor depression here. Me and Martha couldn’t get him to go anywhere for a while because he didn’t have the motivation to leave the TARDIS. It was a pretty tough time for everyone.”

The Master’s mind reels at this revelation. “I didn’t think he would mourn for me like that.”

Jack scoffs. “Why would you care if he did? You refused to regenerate when he was pleading with you.”

“I figured he would be better off without me. All I did was create a world of grief for him.”

“Well, that’s exactly what you did by dying on him.”

“Do you think he’s…in love with me or something?”

“Psh, duh. He has to be. I mean, he hasn’t told me directly, but it’s not hard to tell. The Doctor doesn’t exactly rock at hiding his feelings.”

The Master shakes his head stubbornly. “He can’t feel that way…it doesn’t make sense, we’re enemies.”

“Or are you?”

“Of course we are. This is how it’s been for hundreds of years.”

“What if things change?”

“Huh?”

“Between you and the Doctor. This is the happiest I’ve seen him in a long time. And that bottle of Mentzer you’re gonna give him will make him even happier.”

The Master glances at the bottle. “That’s all I really want is for him to be happy.” He clamps his mouth shut. _Did I really just say that out loud?_

Jack smiles the fondest smile the Master’s ever seen. It’s almost kinda creepy.

The sound of a door opening down the hallway has the Master rushing into the living room and carefully setting the two glasses and the bottle on the coffee table. He sits on the couch and pretends like nothing happened. He hears footsteps approaching and suddenly grows nervous. He hopes this goes OK. He really can’t afford to screw things up more. Jack watches him from the kitchen when Martha walks in.

“Hey, dollface, how was your nap?”

“It was nice, thank you.” She smiles at him drowsily and grabs a yogurt out of the fridge.

The Master slowly exhales the breath he was holding in. Part of him is relieved, but the other part only grows more eager. Either way, he knows that Jack and Martha will have to be out of the room in order for this to be completely successful. He walks back into the kitchen.

“If you could both hurry it up in here, that would be fantastic.”

“What’s the rush?” Martha asks, stirring up her yogurt.

“He’s got a date,” Jack says with a cheeky grin.

“With who?”

“The Doctor, who else?”

Martha’s jaw goes slack. “No way…”

The Master glares threateningly at Jack. “It’s not a bloody date.”

“So there is something going on with you two?” she inquires.

“Obviously,” Jack answers. “How have you not noticed?”

“Oh, I have. I knew it the moment he died in the Doctor’s arms.” Her eyes fall to the floor. “He was so broken up about losing you, though. It was hard to watch.”

“That’s something I want to make up to him,” the Master says. “I chose death over regeneration and didn’t care how it could have affected him.”

Jack nods. “So, yeah, the Master is making up for all the death with a date.”

The Master holds back his urge to lash out at the smug captain. Getting into another confrontation won’t help his case, so he forces himself to cool down. He draws in a few deep breaths and slowly unclenches his hands.

“Call it what you want,” he responds tensely. “I didn’t come in here to fight about it. I just want you lot to leave before…”

The sound of another door opening has the Master looking at the companions urgently.

“…before the Doctor gets out of the washroom,” he finishes in a hushed tone then waves his arms at them. “Leave!”

Martha finishes the last few spoonfuls of her yogurt and disposes of it before leaving the room obediently.

“Go get ‘im, cowboy.” Jack winks then follows Martha out of the room.

The Master rolls his eyes and rushes back into the living room in anticipation. The Doctor steps out of the steamy washroom with slick, freshly styled hair and is dressed in his usual brown suit. The Master hears the Doctor enter the kitchen to put the kettle on and rises to intervene. 

The Doctor has his back to him while the Master awkwardly stands in the doorway, pondering what to say. He doesn’t have long to think about it.

“You need something?” the Doctor asks.

The Master mentally curses himself for not being better prepared and clears his throat. “I was… just…going to tell you not to make tea.”

The Doctor turns around to face him. He folds his arms and leans back against the counter. “Why is that? It’s not poisoned, is it?”

“What? No. It’s just that I…have something even better to drink.” He motions for the Doctor to follow him into the living room. 

Sheesh, considering this totally isn’t a date, the Master almost feels like he’s on one. He feels like that awkward, pimpled teenage boy who somehow scored a date with the prettiest girl in school…except she didn’t even give consent. 

The Doctor switches the kettle off and silently follows him. His eyes widen in surprise at the little set-up on the coffee table.

“What is the Mentzer doing out?”

The Master sits down and pats the spot next to him. “Let me explain.”

The Doctor obeys, his eyes glued to the Master’s face. The room suddenly feels a little hotter, and the Master shifts in his seat. He draws in a deep, steady breath before beginning.

“I just thought that…instead of reflecting on the bad things that have happened between us, that we could…celebrate the good things.”

The Doctor keeps his eyebrow raised until the Master finishes speaking. “You think there’s been good things?”

The Master shrugs. “Our childhood memories are wonderful. We both miss home. And…you letting me travel with you is great. I’m not hellbent on killing you anymore or taking over other planets.” He pauses, diverting his eyes. “You’ve done something to me, Doctor. When I…killed those people earlier, I didn’t feel happy or proud about it. I felt awful.”

“Well, I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I think you did the right thing,” the Doctor says. “There wasn’t anything we could have done or said to change Vicela’s mind.”

“Then how come it didn’t feel right?”

“Because you don’t feel the need to kill anymore. You are seeing and learning the proper Time Lord way all over again. And it has been my honor to show it to you.”

“You still waste too much time and energy on me.”

“I never gave up on you.”

They gaze at each other silently for a moment before the Master glances at the bottle. “I figured you could do the honors since it’s your drink. I hope it’s OK that we open it.”

The Doctor grins. “You betcha. This is the perfect occasion with the perfect person.”

The Master reflects his grin and watches the Doctor get the bottle open with his bare hands. The Doctor catches a whiff and sighs fondly. “It smells like home.” He carefully pours a glass and hands it to the Master before pouring his own. 

The Master nods in appreciation. “I can’t believe you have this. This stuff was pricey.”

“It was a graduation present from my parents. I don’t know why they thought I needed it, but I’m glad they did. This is the only thing I have left of them.”

“Lucky you. You left with Mentzer and a TARDIS. The only thing I have left is you.” 

The Doctor feels the threat of a blush. “I’m not all that bad, am I?”

“It depends,” the Master says with a serious face before chuckling teasingly.

“Well, this is a toast to you and your beautiful transformation,” the Doctor says and holds up his glass. “To new beginnings.”

“To new beginnings,” the Master repeats and clanks his glass against the Doctor’s with a smile.

They both take a sip of the Mentzer and immediately feel their senses come alive. Chills run up and down their spines at the powerful memories of home and the war. The sweet, slightly bitter taste sends electrical shocks throughout their bodies that leave them speechless for a little while.

The Master takes another sip before resting back against the couch, stunned. “Did you feel that?”

The Doctor takes a few more careful sips. “Oh yeah. This was worth the wait.”

They sit in a comfortable silence until the Master says,

“I’m tired of being alone, Doctor.”

The Doctor looks right at him. “I might have a cure for that.”

The Master takes a longer drink then sets his glass down. He slowly, almost teasingly, licks his lips. “Is that so?”

He watches the Doctor’s Adam’s apple bob, almost mesmerized by the movement, and suddenly feels the strange urge to suck on it. The Doctor scoots closer to him so that they are almost touching. He sets his hand beneath the Master’s chin and props his head up. He gazes at him fondly for a moment before slowly closing the space between them. 

The Doctor feels his hearts catch on fire at the sensation of the Master’s soft, warm lips against his. To his utmost surprise, he feels the smaller Time Lord kissing back. The Master can’t fully explain his actions, but it’s almost like his brain has shut down, and his own burning hearts are urging him on.

The Doctor smiles slightly against the kiss. This is what he has been waiting for. He pulls back. 

“Koschei…I have something I need to tell you.”

The Doctor immediately feels the weight of the Master’s gaze. He pulls at his collar, the room feeling too warm and stuffy. He messes with his hands while summoning the courage to do this and draws in a deep breath.

“I love you.” As soon as those three words leave his mouth, the Doctor diverts his gaze to the ground, his face feeling hot.

The Master sits there in silence, his eyes searching the Doctor’s face, which is as red as Gallifreyan robes. It’s as if, in that moment, it all makes sense. Any and all sneaking suspicions have been confirmed. Not that the Master ever wanted to think about the possibility of the Doctor being in love with him. But he admits he has entertained the idea. Many times.

“I know,” is the response.

The Doctor looks back up at him, his expression adorably confused. “You do?”

“I mean, we all figured. You’re terrible at hiding things, Doctor.”

The Doctor blows out the breath he had been holding in. “So I’ve been told.”

“I also know that…I feel something for you,” the Master says quietly. “And I have for a long time.”

“Something good or something bad?”

The Master sighs. He is rubbish at expressing himself. “I don’t think it’s ever been something bad. That was just a cover for…something else.”

Feeling bolder, the Doctor reaches down and takes the Master’s hand in his. “I don’t think it’s a coincidence that we keep finding each other. The universe has put impossible distances between us, and I still found you. It’s like it’s always been you.”

The Master gazes at their joined hands. “I’ve never thought of it that way. But, yeah, it seems as if we’ve never been able to escape each other.”

The Doctor grins. “And now we’re stuck together…for good this time.”

The Master groans. “Don’t remind me.” He smiles gently.

The Doctor clears his throat. "So...is this all you had planned for the evening?”

The Master shrugs. “Pretty much.”

“Well, do you mind if I add something?”

The Doctor’s eyes have taken on a certain intensity the Master has never seen before. It sends chills dancing along his spine.

With their hands still together, the Doctor rises from the couch, bringing the Master up with him. The taller Time Lord looks around to make sure they aren’t being watched before quickly leading the Master down the hallway toward his room.

“Ah, so this is what you had in mind,” the Master says in amusement. 

“Is that OK?” The Doctor glances at him, the key in his hand. “I don’t want things to move too fast.”

“We’re Time Lords, Doctor. Do we even know how to slow down?” He smirks.

The Doctor gulps, feeling a small rush of blood travel south. He lets them into his room, closing and locking the door behind them.

The Doctor clears his throat and shifts on his feet. “Well, I guess we can — ”

The Master hushes him with a kiss. The Doctor’s eyes widen in astonishment before they slowly fall closed. As he starts kissing back, the Master slowly drags his tongue across the Doctor’s bottom lip. The Doctor responds by opening his mouth slightly, giving the Master permission to glide his tongue inside. The slick muscle takes its time exploring the unfamiliar cavern when it gets greeted by the Doctor’s own tongue. They slowly roll their tongues around each other. The warm, wet, smooth sensations are so new to them both.

The Doctor sets his hands on the Master’s hips and pulls him forward so that their bodies are flush. He nearly jumps out of his skin when he feels something hard press against his hip, which brings his attention to the fact that his own trousers have grown rather tight.

The Master slowly breaks the kiss, a strand of saliva connecting their shiny, plump lips. The Doctor stares at him, his chest heaving lightly.

The Master glances down at the Doctor’s trousers. “Hmmm, now what do we have here?”

He places his hand on the obvious bulge, massaging it gently before giving it a squeeze. The Doctor gasps, his hips jerking forward. The Master smirks at his reaction. With one hand on the Doctor’s arousal, he slips the other one beneath the Doctor’s shirt. His fingertips graze the warm, smooth plane of skin, pausing every now and then to feel the twitching of muscles.

The Doctor steps back and slides off his jacket. He fusses with his tie until the Master sets his hands on the Doctor’s. The blonde Time Lord takes his time gingerly untying it, flashing the Doctor a few glances through heavy eyelids. Once he gets it off, he tosses the sleek piece of brown fabric to the side before his fingers get to work unbuttoning the Doctor’s white dress shirt. The Doctor watches him through darker, wider eyes. 

Prying the shirt open gives the Master a visual of what he was just feeling. The Doctor is quite skinny, but he’s certainly not hairy. His small, pert nipples are just begging for attention, and the Master lightly circles them with his index fingers. He earns a quiet moan from the Doctor in response. When he pulls on them, the Doctor’s head rolls back slightly.

“Why am I not surprised you’re sensitive here?”

The Doctor musters a glare the best he can then tugs at the hem of the Master’s red shirt. “May I?”

The Master nods. There was something about the Doctor asking so politely in the heat of passion that sends more blood down to his nether region. He lifts his arms up as the Doctor peels off his shirt. 

The Master’s body is surprisingly toned, and his abdomen bears the faint outline of a six-pack. The sight just reinforces the Doctor’s notion that this regeneration has been his best one.

The Master chuckles at the Doctor’s reaction. “You like what you see?”

It takes a moment for the Doctor to find his voice. “Very much so.” He steps toward the renegade Time Lord, causing him to step back until he falls onto the luxurious king-sized bed.

“And I thought I liked the finer things in life,” the Master says. “Do you really need a bed this big?” He fans his arms across the silky sheets. “And bedding this nice?”

The Doctor cocks his head to the side. “Is there something wrong with enjoying space and comfort?”

“Of course not. It’s almost like you’re just waiting to share it with someone…” He winks, causing the Doctor to blush.

After removing his trousers, the Doctor climbs onto the bed and looms over the Master in nothing but his underwear. He leans down and captures the other man’s lips. The Master runs his hands along the warm sides of the Doctor’s body before resting his hands on his bum. He squeezes the round flesh firmly and chuckles in his throat at the way the Doctor jolts. Sticking his fingers beneath the waistband of his underwear, the Master slides the fabric down his thighs, causing the Doctor’s erection to spring free. The Master drops his jaw at the sheer size of the hard organ. It has to be at least 10 inches in length. 

“Looks like this regeneration was very, ah, generous to you, Doctor.” The Doctor’s blush deepens. He clears his throat. “Is there a, um, particular place this thing is going to go?”

“Only if you want it to.”

The Master gulps. How in the world is all that going to fit inside him? Wait a minute. If that happens, that means he is the one on bottom. For some reason, the thought of the Doctor dominating him makes him that feel that much more aroused. I guess I can submit this one time…

He gently brushes his fingers over the Doctor’s swollen, sticky head, smearing the light-blue colored precum (which is unique to Gallifreyan males) around. The Doctor moans and thrusts his hips forward. The Master grips the thick shaft and can feel the hot blood flowing through the engorged veins. He smirks up at his lover and starts pumping the length. The Doctor’s jaw falls slack as his head rolls forward.

“That feel good?” the Master murmurs.

“Oh, y-yes, Master.”

“Who’s that?”

The Doctor glances at him, his face scrunched in an adorable mix of confusion and pleasure. “You?”

“Call me by my real name.”

“…really?”

“Yeah, you can call me that. But only in here, got it?”

The Doctor nods. “Yes, Koschei.” He pauses. “Does that mean you’re going to call me…ah!”

The Master grins as his index finger circles around and prods at the Doctor’s furled entrance. “What’s that?”

The Doctor’s breathing grows labored. His brain is in the process of short-circuiting, so he had completely forgotten what he was even about to say. Adding fuel to his arousal fire, the Doctor uses one hand to pull the Master’s damp sweatpants down and expose the other man’s erection. He appears to be slightly above average in length for a Gallifreyan male, which is 7.5 inches, and a gush of precum is leaking down from the head.

“You’ve been…walking around here without underwear on, eh?”

Now it’s the Master’s turn to blush. “It's not as restricting. Is that a problem?”

The Doctor smirks. “Not for me it isn’t.”

The Doctor grabs the Master’s shaft and effortlessly slides his hand up and down it, the thick precum reducing any friction. The Master squirms and bites his lip in an attempt to hold back his moans. But the Doctor won’t be having any of that. He increases his grip and speed and even starts planting kisses along the blonde’s neck. Finally, the dam breaks, and a series of heated moans escape the Master’s kiss-swollen lips.

“Ohhh, oh, Doctor, yes.”

The Master’s sounds only spur the Doctor on more, and he leans down. “Are you ready to go further?” he whispers into his lover’s ear.

Chills race up and down the Master’s spine at those words. He stares into the pair of deep brown eyes above him.

“I love you, Theta.”

The Doctor’s eyes widen. Well, that came out of nowhere. Although part of him wants to question it, he couldn’t bring himself to, not when his insides feel like they are simmering down to a mushy pile of goo. He presses his lips to the other man’s firmly. The Master closes his eyes and spreads his legs, giving the Doctor access and permission. 

Since their precum is thicker and they produce more of it than humans, Gallifreyans don’t have to mess with lube. The Doctor is able to coat a few of his fingers with is own fluids and lines them up with the Master’s entrance. He gently circles the ring of muscle with one finger before prodding at it. The Master tenses up at the feeling. The few times he’s actually had sex he was the one on top since his ego wouldn’t ever let him bottom.

“I need you to relax, Koschei.”

“I-I’m trying. It’s just really strange.”

“I understand, but you must relax or else this will hurt.” The Doctor plants a kiss on his forehead.

The Master blows out a breath and unclenches his muscles, allowing the Doctor’s finger to glide inside without issue. 

“How does it feel?”

“Odd.”

“It will feel good soon, I promise.”

The Doctor wiggles his finger around before adding a second one. The Master briefly clenches around it before relaxing again. He focuses on breathing while the Doctor slowly takes up a scissoring motion inside. Receiving no negative response, he adds the third finger and starts thrusting them in and out.

Before the Doctor can ask how he is doing, the Master suddenly arches his back and grips the sheets, a loud moan tearing out of his throat. The Doctor smirks.

“Holy Rassilon!”

“I told you it would feel good.”

It feels like the Master’s body got lit on fire. The intense sensation rocked him from the inside out and sent a thick spurt of precum running down his shaft. 

The Doctor carefully pulls his fingers out and wipes them off on the Master’s discarded pants. 

“I’d say you’re ready for something bigger now.”

The Master’s eyes widen at the implication. The Doctor lines up his hard, slick organ with the Master’s entrance and places his hand on the Master’s burning cheek.

“I don’t want to hurt you, but let me know if it does.”

The Master gives a small nod. The Doctor sets his forehead against the smaller man’s and slowly starts pushing in. The Master gasps at the massive stretch and squeezes his eyes shut. It takes quite a bit of willpower for him to keep his body relaxed, and he focuses on the Doctor’s skin against his and the feel of his warm breath against his lips. 

The Doctor’s breathing grows labored at the feel of the hot channel gripping onto him so tightly. “You’re…you’re doing brilliant.”

The Doctor reunites their lips, adding that as a distraction while he keeps pushing inch after inch inside. Their tongues take up a slow dance, and the Master gets so caught up in the kiss that he almost doesn’t even notice when nearly all 10 inches of the Doctor are concealed inside him. The Doctor breaks the kiss. His thighs are quivering with the urge to thrust.

“How are you doing?” 

“I’m all right. There’s a bit of stinging, but it’s not bad.”

The Doctor smiles and brushes a few stray hairs off the Master’s damp forehead. He slowly pulls out a few inches before pushing back in. The Master moans softly at how filled he is. It’s satisfying, in a strange way. He honestly thinks he could get used to it.

The Doctor keeps his thrusts slow and steady for a moment before quickening his pace, his erection sliding in and out of the Master’s body with ease. The Master grabs the Doctor’s face and pulls him in for a series of small, wet kisses. He entangles his fingers in the Doctor’s thick, dark locks while his other hand grabs at the sheets. The Time Lords moan and grunt into each other’s mouths, and it doesn’t take long for the Doctor to bump the Master’s prostate.

“Mmm, Theta!”

The bed thumps against the wall with every hard thrust as the Doctor repeatedly strokes the other man’s sensitive bundle of nerves. If Jack and Martha are in the vicinity, there’s no denying what is going on.

“Ah-ah, I’m getting close.”

This prompts the Doctor to grab the Master’s neglected erection and expertly stroke it to the tune of his thrusts. The Master bucks his hips in response to the stimulation. He lightly digs his nails into his lover’s scalp. The Doctor can feel the Master’s body preparing for climax with the way his inner walls are contracting around him. His own body is starting to tighten in preparation as well.

A few more thrusts send the Master into toe-curling ecstasy. He thrusts his hips into the Doctor’s grip as the powerful tremors rack through his body and out of his penis in thick spurts of bluish semen that decorate the Doctor’s hand and both of their abdomens. 

The feeling of the Master spasming around him brings the Doctor to his own climax. He thrusts wildly into the other man to ride it out, his liquid passion coating the pulsing walls. Once he’s emptied himself, he pulls his softening member out of the blonde and collapses next to him. The Master is so full that the blue fluid starts leaking out his entrance right away.

The sound of heavy breathing fills the room as the Time Lords bask in their incredible afterglows. 

“Well, we just made a mess of your lovely sheets,” the Master comments after a moment.

The Doctor chuckles softly. “They can be washed.”

“I can’t believe I’ve never bottomed before.”

“I was that good, huh?”

“You were better than good…that was the best bloody orgasm of my life.”

“It was for me too.” He pauses. “Did you mean what you said?”

The Master yawns. “About what?”

“When you said…you know…that you loved me?” The Doctor’s face grows hot all over again.

The Master glances at him. “Of course I meant it. That must be what I've been feeling for you, and I wouldn’t just say it to anyone.”

The Doctor’s hearts skip a beat. “You called me by my name.”

“I did.”

“Don’t go saying it to everyone, though. You can only speak it in here, yeah?”

The Master waves his hand sleepily. “Yeah, yeah.”

After cleaning themselves of their pleasure, the Doctor and the Master climb back into bed and under the covers.

“I love you, Theta. And I mean it.”

The Doctor smiles. “I love you too, Koschei.”

And they fall asleep with the Master pressing back against the Doctor, and the Doctor with his arm around him protectively, never letting him go again.


End file.
